The Health Select Committee is currently looking at submissions for euthanasia.
Dr Huhana Hickey, a research fellow in Taupua Waiora Centre for Māori Health Research at AUT University, is one of few Māori to make a submission.
She says euthanasia should not be legal in New Zealand. She says as a Māori it doesn’t sit well with her culturally, “It’s a Pākehā concept it's not really our whakaaro, we don't talk about it. There's some things we don't talk about publicly and I don't think a lot of Māori even know the process for putting in submissions, it's a lot of energy.”
Tess Moeke-Maxwell is an expert on palliative care for Māori. She says generally Māori believe death and dying is a tapu subject.
“A lot of our families are quite superstitious as you know pre-colonisation all of our health issues were filtered through and informed by a belief in the wairua, the spiritual realm.”
For the full story watch Native Affairs tonight at 8pm on Māori Television.