Historical Trauma Experts Visit Aotearoa

Historical Trauma Experts Visit Aotearoa

Te Atawhai o Te Ao Independent Research Institute welcome Professor Karina Walters and Dr Eduardo Duran to Aotearoa to share their expertise in the area of historical trauma and the impact on Indigenous Peoples.

Professor Walters is a member of the Choctaw Nation. She is a Professor at the University of Washington, and is the founder and Director of the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute (IWRI). is Principal Investigator on several groundbreaking studies associated with health-risk outcomes among American Indian individuals, families and communities funded by the National Institutes of Health. She was also a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Award and was an honorary visiting scholar at Ngā Pae o te Maramatanga (Centre for Research Excellence in Maori Development and Advancement) hosted by the University of Auckland.

Dr Eduardo Duran has worked as a practicing clinical psychologist in Indian country for several decades. He is a leading expert on clinical and research work that deals with the impacts of historical trauma. Historical trauma is the trauma that occurs in families and can be passed through generations unless the trauma or soul wounding is dealt with. His publications, ‘Healing the Soul Wound: Counselling with American Indians and Other Native Peoples’ and his earlier work co-authored with Bonnie Duran, ‘Native American Postcolonial Psychology’ have been groundbreaking texts for Indigenous psychology students throughout the world.

These two Native American experts are visiting Aotearoa as a part of the Maori Health research programme ‘He Kokonga Whare: Maori Intergenerational Trauma and Healing’ which is a research programme led by Dr Paul Reynolds and Dr. Cherryl Smith, (Te Atawhai o Te Ao in Whanganui) in collaboration with Dr Leonie Pihama (Māori And Indigenous Analysis Ltd.), Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Te Kotahi Research Institute, University of Waikato) and Drs John Reid and Emma Wyeth (Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu). This is only the second Māori-led programme awarded by the Health Research Council (HRC) in 20 years.

The research programme focuses on Māori historical trauma and healing to generate new knowledge on the inter-generational impacts of colonialism among Māori. Māori experience high rates of trauma which can be passed from one generation to another, and is correlated with a range of health and social problems from heart disease to imprisonment. The programme investigates ways that Māori people experience and seek healing from trauma.

Dr Duran and Professor Walters will provide the following presentations:

Whanganui – Te ia oTu Kaha Conference Thursday, 13 September 2012, http://www.tukaha2012.co.nz/keynote-speakers.html

New Plymouth - Tu Tama Wahine, 62 Powderham Street , New Plymouth, Monday 17 September 2012 , 10.00am - 1.00pm Register with: Awhina.Cameron@tutamawahine.org.nz

ENDS

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