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https://theconversation.com/too-many-maori-and-asian-people-are-drowning-can-better-cultural-understanding-reverse-the-trend-196576>
"With summer here, families and tourists will flock to New Zealand’s beaches,
rivers and lakes to paddle, swim, surf, fish, boat and kayak. But despite our
love of the water, New Zealanders have a terrible record of drowning deaths.
Last summer was the worst year for drownings in a decade. Our ten-year average
beach and coastal drowning rate is 44% per capita higher than Australia’s.
According to Water Safety NZ chief executive Daniel Gerrard, “Drowning is the
leading cause of recreational death and the third-highest cause of accidental
death.”
The data also reveal that Asian and Māori communities are over-represented in
both fatal and non-fatal drownings. New Zealand research suggests Western
approaches to water safety have not worked for Māori. Water safety educators
and advocates are now working to strengthen the connection Māori have with
water through whakapapa (genealogy), mātauranga (knowledge) and tikanga
(custom).
Our research with the Auckland Chinese community suggests the same may be
needed for Asian New Zealanders, who are expected to make up 26% of the
population by 2043. Asian drowning fatalities in 2021 more than doubled from
2020, from seven to 19. This was 72% more than the five-year average of 11.
Understanding how best to educate the Asian community about water safety is a
clear priority."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
