Explore Te Whare Tapa Whā
Tā Mason Durie's model of wellbeing: taha wairua, taha hinengaro, taha tinana and taha whānau, grounded in connection to whenua. A way to think about balance and belonging.
Mental wellbeing
Te Whare Tapa Whā was developed by Tā Mason Durie. It pictures wellbeing as a wharenui with four walls: taha wairua (spiritual), taha hinengaro (mental and emotional), taha tinana (physical) and taha whānau (family and social). The whare stands on whenua, our connection to the land and to place.
The idea is simple and it lasts. When one wall is under strain, the whole house feels it. Sport tends to pour attention into taha tinana. This model is a reminder that the other walls are holding you up too.
How it helps in sport
Use it as a way of checking in, on your own or as a squad. Which wall has had the least attention this month? What would strengthen it? It works for a fourteen-year-old at their first nationals and for a coach twenty years in, because it asks about your whole life and not only your training.
What to expect
The Mental Health Foundation's page explains each dimension in plain language, with a short video and an activity you can try. It is free and needs no account.
Good to know
This is a model for reflection, not a test or a score. It is a Māori health model and belongs with its author's name. Please keep it that way when you share it.