Dialogue with Māori

In his mihimihi to the Council publication Whakapapa and the Human Gene, Sir Paul Reeves said the New Zealand position on bioethics would be wonderfully unique because "we are an independent nation comprising many peoples. In particular, our views will reflect those of the tangata whenua."

During the past two years the Council engaged in "conversations" with New Zealanders on the topics of human genes in other organisms and xenotransplantation.

These topics are important to Māori because they pose issues of tikanga (traditional customs) and the extent they can be incorporated into tikanga and matauranga Māori (knowledge).

These and other issues relating to human genes in other organisms and xenotransplantation were debated at a series of public dialogue events and hui, held throughout Aotearoa-New Zealand.

To assist with these debates, the Māori working group produced two panui (brochures): Whakapapa and the Human Gene and Whakapapa and Xenotransplantation.

They provided an overview by Professor Mead, a specialist in tikanga, on the Māori world view of life, and a stimulating think-piece on "what's human about human genes" by eminent bio-chemist, Dr Gary Raumati Hook.

The dialogue hui were open to any group or individual who wished to participate, and there was strong attendance at those facilitated through kohanga and kura whanau.

From these dialogue events it was clear there was a diverse range of views within the Māori community on the use and development of technology

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