New Zealand scholar finds common ground with Manitoba’s Indigenous people
While visiting the College of Rehabilitation Sciences this fall, Katrina Pōtiki Bryant, associate dean Māori at the School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago in New Zealand, said she was struck by the many similarities between Indigenous people in Manitoba and her homeland.
“I see a lot of the same health and well-being issues. The products of colonization have affected us in similar ways,” she said.
“But I also see commonalities … in terms of health as a collective idea, rather than an individual approach. It’s more around a family-centred care, and the extended family that is your community.”
A physiotherapist for over 30 years, Bryant is the founder of Taurite Tū, a successful strength and balance wellness program which translates to “balanced standing.” It was created as a holistic falls-prevention program for Māori people aged 50-plus in 2019 and includes aspects of spiritual, family, mental and physical health.
“When those things are in balance, you are in a state of ‘mauri ora,’ which means well-being,” Bryant said.
“That is another commonality that I’ve experienced here – the Indigenous philosophies of being well, rather than health care being focused on treating disease, disorder or disability. In the language of Māori, we don’t have a word for disability … it’s that positive focus, rather than the deficit model thinking.”
The program was based on four years of research and is specifically geared toward the Indigenous people of New Zealand.
“We developed resources to grow people in our Indigenous communities, and those resources were ready to train others. That was really positive to quickly translate our research into implementation.”
Bryant led a Taurite Tū demonstration at the college’s September ‘Kiga mamo anokimin onji minoayawin/ Ka mamwi atoskatenow minoaywin–We will work together for health and wellness’ community retreat, which brought together representatives of 13 First Nations communities, along with college faculty, staff and invited guests. The retreat was part of an initiative the college started over seven years ago to bring rehabilitation to the communities, based on their self-identified needs and priorities.
“It was awesome to see these communities come together and hear their voices,” she said.
Bryant also had a chance to visit Sagkeeng First Nation and Opaskwayak Cree Nation, where she met with community members and saw some of the work the college has been doing there.
Bryant first met College of Rehabilitation Sciences dean Dr. Reg Urbanowski at an online conference in 2020. They bonded over their interest in working with Indigenous communities. Urbanowski and Dr. Jacquie Ripat, vice-dean (academic affairs), Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and professor at the college, worked with Bryant to bring her to UM as part of the Juliette Cooper Visiting Scholar Program.
“Dr. Bryant was an excellent candidate as she is a physiotherapist, educator and researcher, and brought her Māori knowledge and expertise to our discussions on opportunities to support Indigenous students, faculty and research,” Ripat said.
While visiting, Bryant led several workshops for faculty and staff, sharing Māori perspectives on physiotherapy and research. She also met with members of Ongomiizwin – Education to share knowledge.
“I really enjoyed teaching alongside the team from Ongomiizwin and other Indigenous leaders in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, including Margaret Hart, who is doing great work supporting Indigenous content within the occupational therapy program,” she said.
“The things we teach have the same messages and I have learned much on my visit here.”