Who we are

Our name: Ngā Aho Hauora

In early 2026, after a process of discussion and development with the University of Otago's office of Māori Development, the Centre for Medical Humanities was incredibly honoured to be gifted an ingoa Māori (Māori name). ​

This name is Ngā Aho Hauora, which translates to 'The Strands of Health' ​

• Aho = strands used to weave a korowai (cloak)

• Hauora = health​

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Ngā Aho Hauora brings together people from diverse backgrounds within humanities, weaving relationships that honour both individuality and collective purpose. Humanities can be understood as a korowai—a finely woven cloak that carries whakapapa, memory, and meaning—connecting people to inherited knowledge while nurturing new ways of seeing and understanding the world.

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Within this metaphor, Ngā Aho are the many strands that binds a korowai together for strength and integrity. They represent the researchers, thinkers, and practitioners within the Centre for Medical Humanities, each bringing their own experiences, disciplines, and ways of knowing. While each aho retains its uniqueness, it is through their interweaving that resilience, depth, and cohesion are created. The process of weaving reflects ongoing collaboration, reciprocity, and the careful nurturing of relationships that sustain both people and knowledge.

Hauora speaks to a holistic and relational understanding of health and wellbeing—one that extends beyond the physical to include wairua (spirit), hinengaro (mind), tinana (body), and whānau (collective). Through the lens of the humanities, hauora is explored as something lived, storied, and shaped by culture, environment, history, and connection.

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Ngā Aho Hauora therefore recognises that wellbeing emerges not in isolation, but through the interdependence of people, ideas, and communities. Together, Ngā Aho Hauora embodies a living, evolving korowai—one that is continually woven through shared inquiry, critical reflection, and care.​