We look again at why some patterns—like stress, health issues, or even resilience—seem to run in families? Modern science has an answer, and it’s something Indigenous communities have known for centuries: experiences can leave marks that echo across generations.
What Is Epigenetics—and Why Does It Matter?
Epigenetics is the science of how life experiences—like trauma or nurturing—can change how our genes work without changing the genes themselves. These changes can be passed down to children and even grandchildren (Yehuda & Lehrner, 2018).
Here’s what research tells us:
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Holocaust survivors’ trauma affected their children’s stress-response genes (Yehuda et al., 2014).
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Syrian refugee families show trauma-related changes in DNA activity across three generations (Mulligan et al., 2025).
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Colonisation trauma in Indigenous communities contributes to health issues like diabetes and mental illness in descendants who never experienced the original harm (Skinner et al., 2023).
This means health isn’t just about personal choices—it’s about inherited patterns shaped by history.
Te Whare Tapa Whā: The Four Walls of Wellbeing
In 1984, Sir Mason Durie introduced Te Whare Tapa Whā, a model that uses the image of a wharenui (meeting house) to explain health (Durie, 1998). It has four walls:
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Taha Tinana (physical health) – Your body’s strength and function.
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Taha Wairua (spiritual health) – Your connection to heritage and life force.
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Taha Hinengaro (mental health) – Thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
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Taha Whānau (family health) – Belonging and social support.
Durie’s model was revolutionary because it said spiritual and family health matter just as much as physical health. Today, epigenetics backs this up: trauma affects stress systems, immunity, metabolism, and brain development all at once (Bhattacharya et al., 2019).
Te Poutama o te Ora: Going Deeper
While Te Whare Tapa Whā laid the foundation, modern challenges need more detail. That’s where Te Poutama o te Ora comes in—a nine-part framework designed for today’s world.
Five Core Pillars
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Whakapapa (ancestry): Recognises inherited patterns science now confirms.
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Tinana (body): Includes modern insights like gut health and how stress affects babies (Szyf & Bick, 2013).
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Tuakiri (identity): Separate from family because colonisation fractured identity, creating unique stress markers (Raffington et al., 2021).
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Wairua (spirit): Spiritual health influences bonding and stress hormones.
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Hinengaro (mind): Thoughts and emotions shape gene activity.
Three Transformation Stages
Healing takes time and repeated effort—science agrees (Clark & Rager, 2020).
The Ninth Element: Stability
This is full balance—where wellness becomes the new inherited pattern. Research shows resilience can also be passed down, not just trauma (Kellerman, 2025).
Why This Matters
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Start Early: Support parents before conception (Yehuda & Lehrner, 2018).
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Think Holistically: Health isn’t just physical—it’s spiritual, mental, and cultural.
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Culture as Medicine: Language and cultural practices reduce stress and improve health (Comtois-Cabana et al., 2021).
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Generational Approach: Healing isn’t just for individuals—it’s for families and communities.
The Big Picture
Epigenetics confirms what Māori frameworks have said for decades: health is interconnected and passed through generations. Te Poutama o te Ora builds on Te Whare Tapa Whā by adding detail and processes that match what science now knows.
Both show that wellness is cultural, systemic, and heritable.
The question isn’t whether these approaches work—science says they do. The question is: will health systems adopt frameworks that are as sophisticated as the problems they aim to solve?