Oranga is at the centre of Te Toka Tūmoana

The 5 key elements of oranga

Oranga is different for all whānau:

• Understandings of oranga are different within whānau and across different generations.
• Tamariki, mokopuna, rangatahi, mātua and kaumātua understand the collective oranga of whānau and their individual oranga from diverse perspectives.

Oranga is a relationship between whānau and their spiritual, natural, physical and social environments​:

• It includes systems of complex relationships between tamariki, mokopuna, rangatahi and whānau and their spiritual (for example, wharekarakia and urupā), natural (for example, maunga and awa), physical (for example, public transport and infrastructure) and social (for example, whānau, school and social media) environments. 

Oranga is not a finite destination:

• It is fluid, ebbing and flowing through various states over a lifetime, including experiences of both harm and wellbeing through which tamariki, mokopuna, rangatahi and whānau resilience and potential can be developed.

Oranga is multi-dimensional:

• It is dynamic, holistic, reciprocal and relational.
• Oranga reinforces mana tamaiti, whakapapa, whanaungatanga and other te ao Māori wellbeing principles.

Oranga is inclusive:

• It includes all tamariki, mokopuna, rangatahi and whānau and their lived experiences, including tāngata whaikaha, tāngata whaiora, gender perspectives, multi-cultural whānau, whānau belonging to takatāpui and LGBTQIA+ communities or combinations of these.
• While oranga is founded in te ao Māori, it embraces the diversity of all cultures, faith and belief systems and communities who will have their own understandings of what oranga means for them in their cultural context. 

The 6 core dimensions of oranga

Each expression is understood more holistically through the 6 dimensions of oranga.

Wairua (cultural wellbeing):

• This dimension includes understanding and supporting the values, beliefs (including spiritual), practices, significant people, and places which sustain and restore the wairua of whānau and families.

Hinengaro (mental wellbeing):

• This dimension includes understanding and supporting empowering thought patterns, memories, feelings, and actions which enhance oranga.
• In addition, it includes recognising and supporting the right of tamariki, mokopuna Māori, rangatahi and whānau and families to develop their individual and collective potential.

Ngākau (emotional wellbeing):

• This dimension includes supporting tamariki, mokopuna Māori, rangatahi, whānau and families so that they feel safe, valued, listened to and respected, enabling trusting and meaningful relationships.

Tinana (physical wellbeing):

• This dimension includes encouraging and supporting healthy, active lifestyles.
• A priority is to ensure that tamariki, mokopuna Māori, rangatahi, whānau and families can access the full range of mainstream health services, rongoā Māori and alternative medicine.

Whānau (family wellbeing):

• The whānau dimension includes supporting the development and maintenance of healthy whanaungatanga networks.
• Tamariki, mokopuna Māori, rangatahi, whānau and families are supported in building or strengthening their relationships, feel loved, feel a sense of belonging and identity and are connected to their whakapapa.
• It also highlights the importance of collective (whānau or family) wellbeing to strengthen whānau and family resilience.

Waiora (environmental wellbeing):

• This dimension includes understanding the spiritual, natural, physical, and socio-economic environments in which whānau and family live.
• It includes the systems operating within those environments, and their impact on the autonomy, participation and collective oranga of tamariki, mokopuna Māori, rangatahi, whānau and families.
• It involves social advocacy for the rights of tamariki, mokopuna Māori, rangatahi, whānau and families, supporting them to identify barriers which prevent full inclusion.