Health / Te Oranga.
Te Oranga must begin in the home. Putiputi O'Brien comes from Te Teko in
the Eastern Bay of Plenty and she been a Public Health Nurse for forty years.
Putiputi is now retired but is still very committed to Health issues. She was born under the shadow of "Pūtauaki"/ Mt.Edgecombe, her father Eruera Manuera delivered all his children at birth, a role Putiputi took on as an older child.
Much of her childhood was spent with her grandmother, learning much about land, bush, Marae, foods, and her people's history the Ngāti Awa tribe. She went every where with her Nanny, slept and ate with her, and learnt naturally. In those formative years her knowledge of Herbal medicines and therapy by touch and prayer was awakened, hence her long career in nursing. She graduated at Waikato in 1945. Her father ERUERA MANUERA has always been a friend, a mentor and a principal influence in shaping her life.
Puitputi committed her life and work to a better world for her people in health terms. She speaks about early childhood, the influence of the Ringatuū church and her father.
- kaikōrero : Putiputi O"Brien.
- kaikōrero : Eruera Manuera.
- kaikōrero : Dr Mason Durie describes the Māori dimension to Health. Te taha tinana (physical side of health) te taha hinengaro (think and feel, emotional side of health) te whānau (family) and te taha wairua (spiritual) te ao tūroa could be included (land and enviroment).
- kaikōrero : Putiputi O'Brien.