Indigenous Homelessness: New Zealand Context

In New Zealand many Māori live in impoverished and overcrowded conditions and, as such, are overrepresented in the homeless population (Groot et al. 2011a). In this chapter, we argue that homelessness is endemic to experiences of colonialism, not only at the personal, but also at the hapu (subtribe), iwi (tribe), and national level where many Māori have experienced over 150 years of being rendered out of place in their hau kainga (ancestral homelands). We consider colonialism and societal developments that have impacted whānau (extended family) economically, culturally, and socially, contributing to high rates of homelessness among Māori today.

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