title: “Alles, was ich schreibe, steht im Dienst der Frauen.” Zum essayistischen und fiktionalen Werk Hedwig Dohms (1833-1919)

authors: Reed, Philippa Jane

abstract: “Everything I write is for the cause of women.” Hedwig Dohm once summarized her intention as a writer in this programmatical sentence which provides the title quote for this thesis. Her literary work encompasses theoretical essays, polemical pamphlets, dialogues, articles and book reviews, as well as comedies, novellas and novels. Since the rediscovery of her writings by feminist publishers and scholars in the early to mid-1970’s, research on Hedwig Dohm has concentrated largely on her considerable contribution to the development of feminist thought in nineteenth-and early twentieth-century Germany. Because of the radical nature and brilliant wit of her essays on women’s emancipation and the ‘Woman Question’ (‘Frauenfrage’) she is regarded as one of the most important ‘foremothers’ of contemporary feminism in Germany. In contrast, the less easily accessible fictional work has received little attention.

The aim of this thesis is to provide the first comprehensive study of Hedwig Dohm’s work in its entirety; to illustrate the links between the theoretical essays and fictional works and to show how important themes of the former are developed in a fictional context.

The first part of this study gives a brief introduction to Hedwig Dohm’s life and work, based on both published and unpublished source material.

Part Two is devoted to Hedwig Dohm’s essays and theoretical writings, which span a period of almost half a century; from the time the German women’s movement was formally established until the 1914-1918 War. Hedwig Dohm’s theoretical works, her analysis of contemporary society and her proposals for social reform are examined in this historical context. Many of the demands expressed in her earliest works foreshadow aims not widely accepted within the German women’s movement until several decades later. These include her demand for equality of educational opportunity for girls, access for women to universities and to the professions and the civil service, as well as her insistence on the importance of political rights, especially the right to vote, as a pre-requisite for social change. Hedwig Dohm maintained her passionate interest in women’s emancipation throughout her life and during significant phases of growth of the women’s movement in Germany. Through her publications she continued to play an active role as an independent figure, allied to no one particular pressure group within the organised movement, although her position on many issues most closely resembles that of the ‘Radicals’. Issues which dominate her later work include the debate on a specifically female cultural contribution to society, the increase in anti-women propaganda in the first decade of the twentieth century, the contemporary discussion on sexual morality and finally, her belief in the necessity of an international women’s peace initiative.

The third part of this thesis comprises a detailed analysis of Hedwig Dohm’s fictional work, much of which survives today in only a few libraries and archives. The early comedies present charming and intellectually independent ‘heroines’ within a conventional literary form; there is little overt discussion of issues relating to the ‘Woman Question’. While the themes of social and political oppression which dominate the essays are present in the novellas and novels, emphasis is given here to the psychological effects of the strictures of patriarchal society on women’s consciousness. Perhaps the most powerful novella, Werde, die Du bist (Become who you are), shows retreat into madness as the only alternative possible for an ageing woman who is no longer prepared to conform to society’s expectations of her. This echoes a theme prevalent in women’s writing of the nineteenth century, not only in Germany, but also in English and American literature. A detailed examination of the women characters in Hedwig Dohm’s fictional work, in particular of those in the novel trilogy - Sibilla Dalmar, 1896, Schicksale einer Seele (Destinies of a Soul), 1899, Christa Ruland, 1902 - shows that they are designed not merely as victims of patriarchal oppression, nor as models of the ‘New Woman’, but as transitional figures who exemplify the inner conflict of women attempting to assert their individuality and to confront patriarchal modes of thought and expression which they too have internalised. Hedwig Dohm presents this conflict as representative of the generations to which these women belong. Each of her major women characters develops different strategies for coping with or overcoming the disadvantages of her situation; the extent to which they are or are not successful in this underlines the author’s conviction of the necessity for further social change in order for women to be able to develop freely and express their own identities.

Using insights gained from recent feminist literary criticism, it is possible to interpret Hedwig Dohm’s fiction in a new light; as a contribution in the struggle against an ideology of woman as an abstraction. Hedwig Dohm’s entire work represents a conscious attempt to write as a woman, for women in a male-defined and male-dominated culture.

text: “Alles, was ich schreibe, steht im Dienst der Frauen.” Zum essayistischen und fiktionalen Werk Hedwig Dohms (1833-1919) “Everything I write is for the cause of women.” Hedwig Dohm once summarized her intention as a writer in this programmatical sentence which provides the title quote for this thesis. Her literary work encompasses theoretical essays, polemical pamphlets, dialogues, articles and book reviews, as well as comedies, novellas and novels. Since the rediscovery of her writings by feminist publishers and scholars in the early to mid-1970’s, research on Hedwig Dohm has concentrated largely on her considerable contribution to the development of feminist thought in nineteenth-and early twentieth-century Germany. Because of the radical nature and brilliant wit of her essays on women’s emancipation and the ‘Woman Question’ (‘Frauenfrage’) she is regarded as one of the most important ‘foremothers’ of contemporary feminism in Germany. In contrast, the less easily accessible fictional work has received little attention.

The aim of this thesis is to provide the first comprehensive study of Hedwig Dohm’s work in its entirety; to illustrate the links between the theoretical essays and fictional works and to show how important themes of the former are developed in a fictional context.

The first part of this study gives a brief introduction to Hedwig Dohm’s life and work, based on both published and unpublished source material.

Part Two is devoted to Hedwig Dohm’s essays and theoretical writings, which span a period of almost half a century; from the time the German women’s movement was formally established until the 1914-1918 War. Hedwig Dohm’s theoretical works, her analysis of contemporary society and her proposals for social reform are examined in this historical context. Many of the demands expressed in her earliest works foreshadow aims not widely accepted within the German women’s movement until several decades later. These include her demand for equality of educational opportunity for girls, access for women to universities and to the professions and the civil service, as well as her insistence on the importance of political rights, especially the right to vote, as a pre-requisite for social change. Hedwig Dohm maintained her passionate interest in women’s emancipation throughout her life and during significant phases of growth of the women’s movement in Germany. Through her publications she continued to play an active role as an independent figure, allied to no one particular pressure group within the organised movement, although her position on many issues most closely resembles that of the ‘Radicals’. Issues which dominate her later work include the debate on a specifically female cultural contribution to society, the increase in anti-women propaganda in the first decade of the twentieth century, the contemporary discussion on sexual morality and finally, her belief in the necessity of an international women’s peace initiative.

The third part of this thesis comprises a detailed analysis of Hedwig Dohm’s fictional work, much of which survives today in only a few libraries and archives. The early comedies present charming and intellectually independent ‘heroines’ within a conventional literary form; there is little overt discussion of issues relating to the ‘Woman Question’. While the themes of social and political oppression which dominate the essays are present in the novellas and novels, emphasis is given here to the psychological effects of the strictures of patriarchal society on women’s consciousness. Perhaps the most powerful novella, Werde, die Du bist (Become who you are), shows retreat into madness as the only alternative possible for an ageing woman who is no longer prepared to conform to society’s expectations of her. This echoes a theme prevalent in women’s writing of the nineteenth century, not only in Germany, but also in English and American literature. A detailed examination of the women characters in Hedwig Dohm’s fictional work, in particular of those in the novel trilogy - Sibilla Dalmar, 1896, Schicksale einer Seele (Destinies of a Soul), 1899, Christa Ruland, 1902 - shows that they are designed not merely as victims of patriarchal oppression, nor as models of the ‘New Woman’, but as transitional figures who exemplify the inner conflict of women attempting to assert their individuality and to confront patriarchal modes of thought and expression which they too have internalised. Hedwig Dohm presents this conflict as representative of the generations to which these women belong. Each of her major women characters develops different strategies for coping with or overcoming the disadvantages of her situation; the extent to which they are or are not successful in this underlines the author’s conviction of the necessity for further social change in order for women to be able to develop freely and express their own identities.

Using insights gained from recent feminist literary criticism, it is possible to interpret Hedwig Dohm’s fiction in a new light; as a contribution in the struggle against an ideology of woman as an abstraction. Hedwig Dohm’s entire work represents a conscious attempt to write as a woman, for women in a male-defined and male-dominated culture.

year: 1985

title: The Hydrodynamic and Estuarine Physics Of Maketu Estuary

authors: Domijan, Nenad

subjects: Maketu Estuary

abstract: Maketu Estuary is situated -35 km southeast of Tauranga in the central Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The hydrodynamics of the estuary was drastically altered when the large Kaituna River was diverted directly to the sea in 1957 as a part of the flood protection scheme. This dramatically changed the inlet hydrodynamics, caused deleterious effects on sedimentation and navigation, and catastrophic effects on the large area of wetlands on the estuary margins.
This thesis represents study of the relative importance of physical processes (hydrodynamic and sedimentary) which govern the overall physical behaviour of Maketu Estuary in response to the 1996 partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River back into the estuary.
A detailed hydrographic survey of the entire Maketu Estuary was undertaken by combining two survey methods (land and boat-based) and this study showed the estuary to consist of large inter-tidal areas covering 70-80% of its -2 km² area. A bathymetry map of the estuary was produced showing that Maketu is a small geomorphologicaly "perched" and "low meso-tidal" estuarine lagoon dissected by numerous narrow tidal channels, 10-30 m wide with typical maximum depth of 1 m below MSL. At present, the inlet entrance is about 120 m wide and 2.6 m deep at high tide.
A bottom-towed ADP technique was used to collect velocity profiles in the narrow and shallow inlet throat. The data were analysed for entrance inflow and outflow calculations. The freshwater inflow from the Kaituna River through the floodgate control structure reduced the flood tidal volume by 34% and increased the ebb tidal outflow by 48.3%. The calculated change of the inter-tidal storage between 1985 and 1996 suggests a net sedimentation in the estuary of about 150,000 m³ or 13,640 m³/ year.
Stability parametres of the inlet gorge were re-examined and implied that the inlet was generally stable, but with a tendency for scouring of the inlet channel during the ebb tide following the rivers partial re-diversion. In its present form, the inlet lies within the stable region of the stability/closure curve with entrance closure likely to occur if the tidal prism decreases below 255,000 m³. A Ω/Mₜₒₜ ratio of - 25 classifies Maketu inlet as a "barbypasser" having positional stability, with an estimated increase of the ebb shoal volume of - 17% in comparison to 1985.
Three tide gauge stations were established within the estuary to provide long-tidal records (from September 1995 to June 1996) covering periods before and after the partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River back into the estuary. Analyses revealed that amplitude decay of the M₂ tide constituent from the ocean (- 0.74 m) to the far reaches of the estuary is approximately 68%, while the M₄ principal overtide within the estuary is > 0.07 m. Forced MSf tide is the largest compound constituent (>0.06m) while the frictional nature of the estuary is demonstrated by large phase changes in the tide (- 117° in 3 km for the M₂ constituent) and a M₄/M₂ ratio of 0.31. The amplitude ratio M₄/M₂ demostrated a slower growth with distance (lower to upper estuary) after river re-diversion, and the tidal duration asymmetry parameter diminished by 6.4%. Non-tidal influences on the sealevel oscillations within the estuary (caused by attendant weather systems during the observation period), showed that the set-up or set-down of the sea level ranged around ± 0.2 m. Seiches were identified in the lower estuary possessing a fluctuating range of 0.12 m with mean period of - 20 minutes. The longer flood duration and associated reduction in current strength at the upper reaches of the estuary should lead to reduced sedimentation within it after the partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River.
Current dynamics of Maketu Estuary is dominated by the presence of strong tidal currents and intermittent river inflow within the estuarine channels (mid-flood and mid-ebb subsurface currents of 0.94 and 1.27 ms⁻¹ respectively). Harmonic analysis showed semi-diurnal current regime with tidal current (M₂) ranging from 0.15 ms⁻¹ (at a site in the upper reaches of the estuary) to 0.74 ms⁻¹ (near the open entrance). The analysis revealed clockwise rotation of the M₂ tidal currents at the upper estuary, which lagged the anti-clockwise rotating M₂ tidal currents of the lower estuary by 22⁰. The M4 tidal current has a large amplitude (> 0.05 ms⁻¹) throughout the estuary indicating a significant transfer of energy from the M₂ current caused by friction at the seabed. The tidal rectification caused by the intermittent river inflow after partial re-diversion generated a significant residual current regime. Residual along-channel current gradually increased up-harbour and expressed as a percentage of the tidal signal it was 4%, 16% and 20% respectively. Meteorological forcing plays a significant role in the circulation dynamics of the Maketu water masses. At times, the current flow was directed upwind in the deeper channels. Analysis of the long-term current measurements revealed a strong coherence between low-frequency wind and low-frequency current signal at all observed sites. A rotary spectrum for the mean residual flows indicates that significant peaks occur within a period of 3.7 days between wind and current. Different vertical velocity structure over the whole water column was depicted at observed sites indicating an altered flow structure due to the presence of a stratified water column.
The thermohaline structures and associated physical processes within the water have been investigated in detail for the periods before and after the partial river re-diversion. According to the "classical" tidal prism model, the residence time was estimated to be 18.2 hours for the lower estuary and 30.8 hours for the upper estuary. After the 1996 partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River, the salinity-temperature structures of the estuarine waters have been changed, promoting strong conditions dependent on the specific operating regime of the control floodgates. Analysis of salinity-temperature long-term measurements at fixed sites within the estuary revealed a large variability in salinity over the course of the tidal cycle at the surface and bottom (24-30 psu). The major influence on the salinity stratification is due to river inflow (-33%) and wind stress (-21 % ) associated with prevailing south-westerly wind blowing across the estuary. The residence time is approximately a half-tidal cycle shorter than before the partial river re-diversion.
The turbulence and mixing processes which characterised water mass behaviour is a combination of small-scale turbulent diffusion and a larger-scale variation of the field of advective mean velocities. The components of Reynolds stress parallel to the boundary in the direction of mean flow were found to be variable in the range of 0-12 cm²s⁻² depending on tidal phase, while the energy spectra of turbulent velocity fluctuations were found to be similar (both during the flood and ebb phase) which indicates that the weak turbulence is associated with a weak mean current and stratified water column. The Brunt-Vaisala frequency and the local gradient Richardson number indicate dynamically stable ebb flow (Rᵢ >12), but during the flood phase the vertical distribution of the Richardson number (Rᵢ ≤1) indicates instability of the flow, likely associated with the river inflow (a fully turbulent mid-flood flow). The Ozmidov scale varies from 0.7-1.8 m and is comparable to the largest scale of the flow at the sites examined, while the smallest scale, the Kolmogorov scale was estimated to be - 3 x 10⁻² cm. An axial convergence front was formed only during the late stage of the flood tide extending continuously up the main estuary channel, while occurrence of internal waves was identified in the upper reaches of the estuary. Derived typical values of Nz (vertical eddy viscosity) ranged from 8.3-23.8 x 10⁻⁴ m²s⁻¹, Kz (vertical eddy diffusion) ranged from 4.4-9.2 x 10⁻⁴ m²s⁻¹ and Kₓ (longitudinal eddy diffusion) ranged from 1.24-8.3 m² s⁻¹. Overall, vertical density gradients caused by the presence of the newly-formed salinity-temperature regime had a stabilising effect on the vertical mixing processes within the water column due to the re-diverted river.
As a complement to the field observation, a two-dimensional depth-averaged numerical hydrodynamic model (3DD model of Black's operating in 2D mode) for the tidal and current propagation within the estuaries was employed to obtain a better understanding of the complex Maketu Estuary water mass dynamics. Summarising, the 2-dimensional hydrodynamic (2DH) model for Maketu Estuary was shown to have the capacity to be used (i) as a useful diagnostic tool in environmental management of the Maketu estuarine system; and (ii) in planning future field sampling and investigating dynamic flow responses to changing forcing variables, if used cautiously in stratified conditions.

text: The Hydrodynamic and Estuarine Physics Of Maketu Estuary Maketu Estuary is situated -35 km southeast of Tauranga in the central Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The hydrodynamics of the estuary was drastically altered when the large Kaituna River was diverted directly to the sea in 1957 as a part of the flood protection scheme. This dramatically changed the inlet hydrodynamics, caused deleterious effects on sedimentation and navigation, and catastrophic effects on the large area of wetlands on the estuary margins.
This thesis represents study of the relative importance of physical processes (hydrodynamic and sedimentary) which govern the overall physical behaviour of Maketu Estuary in response to the 1996 partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River back into the estuary.
A detailed hydrographic survey of the entire Maketu Estuary was undertaken by combining two survey methods (land and boat-based) and this study showed the estuary to consist of large inter-tidal areas covering 70-80% of its -2 km² area. A bathymetry map of the estuary was produced showing that Maketu is a small geomorphologicaly "perched" and "low meso-tidal" estuarine lagoon dissected by numerous narrow tidal channels, 10-30 m wide with typical maximum depth of 1 m below MSL. At present, the inlet entrance is about 120 m wide and 2.6 m deep at high tide.
A bottom-towed ADP technique was used to collect velocity profiles in the narrow and shallow inlet throat. The data were analysed for entrance inflow and outflow calculations. The freshwater inflow from the Kaituna River through the floodgate control structure reduced the flood tidal volume by 34% and increased the ebb tidal outflow by 48.3%. The calculated change of the inter-tidal storage between 1985 and 1996 suggests a net sedimentation in the estuary of about 150,000 m³ or 13,640 m³/ year.
Stability parametres of the inlet gorge were re-examined and implied that the inlet was generally stable, but with a tendency for scouring of the inlet channel during the ebb tide following the rivers partial re-diversion. In its present form, the inlet lies within the stable region of the stability/closure curve with entrance closure likely to occur if the tidal prism decreases below 255,000 m³. A Ω/Mₜₒₜ ratio of - 25 classifies Maketu inlet as a "barbypasser" having positional stability, with an estimated increase of the ebb shoal volume of - 17% in comparison to 1985.
Three tide gauge stations were established within the estuary to provide long-tidal records (from September 1995 to June 1996) covering periods before and after the partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River back into the estuary. Analyses revealed that amplitude decay of the M₂ tide constituent from the ocean (- 0.74 m) to the far reaches of the estuary is approximately 68%, while the M₄ principal overtide within the estuary is > 0.07 m. Forced MSf tide is the largest compound constituent (>0.06m) while the frictional nature of the estuary is demonstrated by large phase changes in the tide (- 117° in 3 km for the M₂ constituent) and a M₄/M₂ ratio of 0.31. The amplitude ratio M₄/M₂ demostrated a slower growth with distance (lower to upper estuary) after river re-diversion, and the tidal duration asymmetry parameter diminished by 6.4%. Non-tidal influences on the sealevel oscillations within the estuary (caused by attendant weather systems during the observation period), showed that the set-up or set-down of the sea level ranged around ± 0.2 m. Seiches were identified in the lower estuary possessing a fluctuating range of 0.12 m with mean period of - 20 minutes. The longer flood duration and associated reduction in current strength at the upper reaches of the estuary should lead to reduced sedimentation within it after the partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River.
Current dynamics of Maketu Estuary is dominated by the presence of strong tidal currents and intermittent river inflow within the estuarine channels (mid-flood and mid-ebb subsurface currents of 0.94 and 1.27 ms⁻¹ respectively). Harmonic analysis showed semi-diurnal current regime with tidal current (M₂) ranging from 0.15 ms⁻¹ (at a site in the upper reaches of the estuary) to 0.74 ms⁻¹ (near the open entrance). The analysis revealed clockwise rotation of the M₂ tidal currents at the upper estuary, which lagged the anti-clockwise rotating M₂ tidal currents of the lower estuary by 22⁰. The M4 tidal current has a large amplitude (> 0.05 ms⁻¹) throughout the estuary indicating a significant transfer of energy from the M₂ current caused by friction at the seabed. The tidal rectification caused by the intermittent river inflow after partial re-diversion generated a significant residual current regime. Residual along-channel current gradually increased up-harbour and expressed as a percentage of the tidal signal it was 4%, 16% and 20% respectively. Meteorological forcing plays a significant role in the circulation dynamics of the Maketu water masses. At times, the current flow was directed upwind in the deeper channels. Analysis of the long-term current measurements revealed a strong coherence between low-frequency wind and low-frequency current signal at all observed sites. A rotary spectrum for the mean residual flows indicates that significant peaks occur within a period of 3.7 days between wind and current. Different vertical velocity structure over the whole water column was depicted at observed sites indicating an altered flow structure due to the presence of a stratified water column.
The thermohaline structures and associated physical processes within the water have been investigated in detail for the periods before and after the partial river re-diversion. According to the "classical" tidal prism model, the residence time was estimated to be 18.2 hours for the lower estuary and 30.8 hours for the upper estuary. After the 1996 partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River, the salinity-temperature structures of the estuarine waters have been changed, promoting strong conditions dependent on the specific operating regime of the control floodgates. Analysis of salinity-temperature long-term measurements at fixed sites within the estuary revealed a large variability in salinity over the course of the tidal cycle at the surface and bottom (24-30 psu). The major influence on the salinity stratification is due to river inflow (-33%) and wind stress (-21 % ) associated with prevailing south-westerly wind blowing across the estuary. The residence time is approximately a half-tidal cycle shorter than before the partial river re-diversion.
The turbulence and mixing processes which characterised water mass behaviour is a combination of small-scale turbulent diffusion and a larger-scale variation of the field of advective mean velocities. The components of Reynolds stress parallel to the boundary in the direction of mean flow were found to be variable in the range of 0-12 cm²s⁻² depending on tidal phase, while the energy spectra of turbulent velocity fluctuations were found to be similar (both during the flood and ebb phase) which indicates that the weak turbulence is associated with a weak mean current and stratified water column. The Brunt-Vaisala frequency and the local gradient Richardson number indicate dynamically stable ebb flow (Rᵢ >12), but during the flood phase the vertical distribution of the Richardson number (Rᵢ ≤1) indicates instability of the flow, likely associated with the river inflow (a fully turbulent mid-flood flow). The Ozmidov scale varies from 0.7-1.8 m and is comparable to the largest scale of the flow at the sites examined, while the smallest scale, the Kolmogorov scale was estimated to be - 3 x 10⁻² cm. An axial convergence front was formed only during the late stage of the flood tide extending continuously up the main estuary channel, while occurrence of internal waves was identified in the upper reaches of the estuary. Derived typical values of Nz (vertical eddy viscosity) ranged from 8.3-23.8 x 10⁻⁴ m²s⁻¹, Kz (vertical eddy diffusion) ranged from 4.4-9.2 x 10⁻⁴ m²s⁻¹ and Kₓ (longitudinal eddy diffusion) ranged from 1.24-8.3 m² s⁻¹. Overall, vertical density gradients caused by the presence of the newly-formed salinity-temperature regime had a stabilising effect on the vertical mixing processes within the water column due to the re-diverted river.
As a complement to the field observation, a two-dimensional depth-averaged numerical hydrodynamic model (3DD model of Black's operating in 2D mode) for the tidal and current propagation within the estuaries was employed to obtain a better understanding of the complex Maketu Estuary water mass dynamics. Summarising, the 2-dimensional hydrodynamic (2DH) model for Maketu Estuary was shown to have the capacity to be used (i) as a useful diagnostic tool in environmental management of the Maketu estuarine system; and (ii) in planning future field sampling and investigating dynamic flow responses to changing forcing variables, if used cautiously in stratified conditions.

year: 2000

title: Experiences of Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand's public health system: a systematic review of two decades of published qualitative research

authors: Graham, Rebekah Sarah

subjects: Indigenous health

abstract: Objective: This paper aims to synthesise the broader perspectives of Māori patients and their whānau (extended family, family group) of their treatment within the public health system. Our research question was ‘What are the experiences of Māori in the public health and/or hospital system in Aotearoa New Zealand?’ Methods: A systematic search using PRISMA protocols and reflexive typology organised around the categories of Māori, public healthcare and qualitative research identified 14 papers that covered all three categories. We undertook a qualitative metasynthesis on these papers using a critical community psychology approach. Results: Māori patients and whānau from the included papers mention both barriers and facilitators to health. We categorised barriers as organisational structures, staff interactions and practical considerations. Facilitators were categorised as the provision of whānau support in the form of practical assistance, emotional care and health system navigation. Conclusions: For many Māori, the existing public health system is experienced as hostile and alienating. Whānau members provide support to mitigate this, but it comes as a cost to whānau. Implications for public health: Public health providers must find ways to ensure that Māori consistently experience positive, high-quality healthcare interactions that support Māori ways of being.

text: Experiences of Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand's public health system: a systematic review of two decades of published qualitative research Objective: This paper aims to synthesise the broader perspectives of Māori patients and their whānau (extended family, family group) of their treatment within the public health system. Our research question was ‘What are the experiences of Māori in the public health and/or hospital system in Aotearoa New Zealand?’ Methods: A systematic search using PRISMA protocols and reflexive typology organised around the categories of Māori, public healthcare and qualitative research identified 14 papers that covered all three categories. We undertook a qualitative metasynthesis on these papers using a critical community psychology approach. Results: Māori patients and whānau from the included papers mention both barriers and facilitators to health. We categorised barriers as organisational structures, staff interactions and practical considerations. Facilitators were categorised as the provision of whānau support in the form of practical assistance, emotional care and health system navigation. Conclusions: For many Māori, the existing public health system is experienced as hostile and alienating. Whānau members provide support to mitigate this, but it comes as a cost to whānau. Implications for public health: Public health providers must find ways to ensure that Māori consistently experience positive, high-quality healthcare interactions that support Māori ways of being.

year: 2020