Ariana Andrews

Introduction

Ko Karioi te maunga.

Ko Aotea te moana. 

Ko Tainui te waka. 

Ko Waikato te iwi. 

Ko Ngāti Te Wehi te hapū. 

Ko Te Tihi o Moerangi te marae. 

Ko Ariana Andrews tōku ingoa.

Health is a taonga. It is a treasure and the foundation for anything else we might do as individuals or as a collective. Unfortunately, I have also seen how this taonga has not been protected for Māori. I have seen this in my whānau and during clinical placements while studying medicine. These experiences are reflected in national and international statistics showing inequities among Indigenous peoples in numerous health and social indicators. 

I am studying towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health, specialising in Māori Health. I intend to work to improve health and wellbeing among Māori and other Indigenous peoples. Participating in this programme presents a unique opportunity to learn about the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples in Brazil. 

I hope to gain insights into ways Indigenous health has been impacted by colonisation and its associated institutions and ideologies. I also hope to engage in discussions about mechanisms for dismantling the harms of colonialism and creating new futures grounded in Indigenous ways of being, knowing and doing.