Home > Document library > Bicultural Issues > Bicultural Issues

Bicultural Issues

The first indication that the NZSP was taking cultural issues seriously was in 1987 when Bryan Paynter wrote a Journal editorial suggesting that although we were not totally inert, an insensitive ignorance of other cultural perceptions needed to be dispersed.

TAGS: bicultural issues, 1987, culture, multicultural


The first indication that the NZSP was taking cultural issues seriously was in 1987 when Bryan Paynter wrote a Journal editorial suggesting that although we were not totally inert, an insensitive ignorance of other cultural perceptions needed to be dispersed.  An article appeared in that issue of the Journal by Karen Peebles who discussed a personal experience of treating the non-European patient.  This highlighted the different perceptions of hospital held by patients of other cultures[1].  David Yates presented a paper to the NZSP conference in Wellington 1988 dealing with a Maori perspective of health.  He divided this into three time periods - the Pre European period,  the immediate Post European Period, and the Modern Day New Zealand[2].  45 people (physiotherapists and other health workers) attended a Maori Hui held at the Victoria University Marae in September 1989.  The visitors were taught about the holistic Maori concept of health,  and some of the taboos and customs in which they believed[3].

The Newsletter for August 1995 had a short item about a cross culture interest group in the USA.

The NZ Nurses Organisation invited the NZSP to make a submission to the Education and Scientific Review Committee on the debate on the Cultural Safety component in Nursing Education . The Society,  the College of Physiotherapy and the Physiotherapy Board were all interested in cultural issues and how to address them[4].

Details of the submission the Society made to this report to the Nursing Council were published in the October 1995 Newsletter.  The report recommended that cultural safety in nursing studies be retained as an ‘important part” of training[5].  The nurses implemented this recommendation on the delivery of cultural safety in their curriculum[6].

Bicultural/multicultural issues were discussed by Executive in April 1996 with the Society making a firm commitment to Biculturalism beginning at undergraduate level[7] at the 1996 annual general meeting.  Networks were developed with local iwi through Executive members in the Midland Region,  and Fiona Murdoch spoke on Tainui FM radio. The discussion of Treaty of Waitangi issues and a discussion paper on biculturalism proceeded in consultation with representatives of various Maori groups[8].

A Bicultural Working Party was established in November 1995, the aim of the Working Group being  to provide direction and guidance to enable the physiotherapy profession to fulfil its’ obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi,  and to chart a course for the profession to move towards health care practices which respect cultural values.

By August 1996 the group had been organised - its specific terms of reference were to develop a framework for the implementation of biculturalism in the profession and to ensure that the physiotherapy profession met the requirements of the Treaty of Waitangi[9].  The Working Party were introduced and named in the April 1997 Newsletter.  The aims were to provide direction and guidance to enable the physiotherapy profession to fulfil it’s obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi,  and to chart a course by which the profession could move towards health care practices which respect cultural values.

Working Party Members were Laurie Evans-Moore;  Ann McKellar;  Jill Bell;  Leigh Keefe;  Lynda Kirkman[10].

By May 1997 the Bicultural Working Party were making good progress in preparing a Bicultural Policy to present to the 1997 AGM.  They hoped to provide information so that all physiotherapists practicing in New Zealand could be familiar with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and biculturalism[11].  The Report was presented to the 1997 AGM.  One of the publications the Bicultural Working Group drew on was a framework for purchasing traditional Health Services;  this was published in the Newsletter[12].

Names for the various body parts in Maori were given in the April 1998 Newsletter[13] and a book review in the December 1998 Newsletter   “Tangi” by Witi Ihimaera,  was of particular relevance to physiotherapists dealing with serious illness, death and dying[14].

By October 1998 the group had decided to develop an information pack including available courses, videos, reading list etc to encourage physiotherapists (including new graduates and those registering from overseas) to gain and/or extend their knowledge of the Treaty of Waitangi and biculturalism.  It was suggested in October 1998  that the Steering Group consider the composition of a “NZSP” Wiata which could be sung on official occasions[15].  This finally did happen at the May 2000 Conference in Wellington.

 


[1] NZJP December 1987 page 4  Editorial; page 11 - Non European patient

[2] NZJP August 1988 page 18 - Maori perspective

[3] NZJP April 1990 page 28 Maori Hui for physiotherapists

[4] N/L September 1995 page 6 - cultural safety in nursing

[5]  N/L October 1995

[6] N/L November 1995 page 3 - nurses will implement

[7] N/L April 1995 page 5

[8] N/L August 1996 page 5 Work Shop arranged on Treaty of Waitangi I Bicultural issues

N/L November 1996 page 1 Bicultural party organised.,  page 3 Report  from Executive

[9] N/L November 1996 page 1 Bicultural party organised.,  page 3 Report  from Executive

[10] N/L April 1997  page 4 Introducing and naming Working Party

[11] N/L May 1997 page 11 - Working Party in progress - Report 

[12] N/L February 1998  page 11 Framework for purchasing traditional health services

[13] N/L April 1998 page 11 Names of Body parts in Maori

[14] N/L December 1998 page 12 - Book Review

[15] E/M 3/4 October 1998

comments powered by Disqus

About this site  Disclaimer
© 2024 Physiotherapy New Zealand. All Rights Reserved.