Dr Tania Huria (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri), Director Hauora Māori and Equity joined Brenda Bickerstaff on the Simply Nourish: Empowering women through menopause and beyond podcast. In the episode, titled Ruahinetanga, Menopause, Mana Wāhine and Equity and published on 12 July 2026, Tania and Brenda kōrero about Māori perspectives on menopause and a wide range of connected topics.
Their kōrero covered:
How differently women can experience menopause
Why it’s important that Menopause Wellbeing is inclusive and shows that all people who have a uterus go through menopause
The colonial construct and generational underfunding of women’s health
How Ruahinetanga means stepping into a time of wisdom, eldership, and leadership – rather than a decline or just a list of symptoms
How Ruahinetanga sits within the wider context of Mana Wāhine – honouring the role of wāhine throughout the reproductive lifespan – and what we can all learn from this perspective.
The challenges for wāhine Māori in the health system
Racism and microaggressions and the cumulative effect and impact on physical wellbeing
The Hui and Meihana models of healthcare, which aim to enable non-Māori clinicians to provide culturally safe care to Māori
Tania also shared her hopes for the future:
I hope that there are places and spaces where wāhine Māori can go and talk about the transition to Ruahinetanga and that that person understands. That they understand it’s not just the symptoms they’re experiencing – it’s also the validation and the celebration when they’re transitioning into that space."
Dr Tania Huria
