Work, Well-Being, and Community in Māori Tradition: Lessons from Ella Henry

In this heartwarming and enlightening conversation, Professor Ella Henry shares her insights on meaningful work and well-being from a Māori worldview. Ella Henry is a prominent figure in Māori Indigenous development with a background in sociology, business, and Māori media. Over the past two decades, she has been actively involved in research, teaching, and advocacy. Ella's extensive involvement includes serving as a Treaty Negotiator for Ngātikahu ki Whangaroa and as Director of Māori Advancement for the Business School.Throughout this episode, Ella discusses traditional Maori models of well-being, which emphasize healing the whole person through strong connections between body, emotions, intellect, spirituality, and family/community. She explains that the Maori concept of "calling" is about understanding one's innate strengths and being nurtured towards work that aligns with those abilities rather than seeing it as a higher calling from an external source. Through her thoughtful storytelling and analysis, Ella offers valuable Indigenous perspectives that provide new lenses for understanding the relationship between work, identity, and living well.