Recovering whakapapa: How tikanga aids Māori mothers in a western system

Māori women are far more likely to experience perinatal distress. Reclaiming traditional practices has helped many wahine Māori find better mental health outcomes, writes Arihia Latham. The story of Hine-tītama, the guardian of the dawn, becoming Hine-nui-te-pō, the atua of death, resonates with my experiences of becoming a mother. She was the child of Tāne-mahuta … Read more

‘There is a way through’: Mothers open up about maternal mental distress

Maternal mental health is far more complex than most realise, and for many women, problems start well before the baby is born. Here, four women share their experiences of perinatal distress – and how to get through it.  Josie Gritten has three littlies and she is a perpetual motion machine, a superwoman. One day she goes to … Read more