U=U: the life force given by the mother’s breast
Rhonda Marama Tamati
A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Ngaatiawa ki Kapiti taku Tai, Independent Consultant.
Sexual Health - https://doi.org/10.1071/SH23061
Submitted: 31 March 2023 Accepted: 5 May 2023 Published online: 3 July 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
The background of this paper starts with the history and significance of the author’s relationship to the Campaign, U=U; Undetectable equals Untransmissable as an Indigenous woman and well-known advocate living with HIV. The methods used in this paper explored an adaptation of a thriving indigenous Health Framework implemented in New Zealand for over 40 years. We anticipate the methods used in this paper along with the U=U Campaign will make the U=U relevant to other Indigenous Peoples. The common threads of the cultures are our creation stories and our rendition of the Health Circle or the Four Pillars. We interviewed and surveyed key community members, family, people living with HIV, and social workers that work in those communities over a period of 6 months; 36 people participated. We shared personal stories anecdotally of her experiences. The results were a health model comparison of U=U from a Māori worldview. Each aspect of the Four Pillars or cornerstones of the model is explained from a personal experience perspective, which is inclusive and reflects a process familiar to Indigenous Peoples and worldviews. We are using stories to relay that information from that particular worldview. In conclusion, after much deliberation, discussions with key people, and personal experiences, we can tie the concept of U=U to an intrinsic framework that other Indigenous Peoples and communities can easily interpret.
Keywords: awareness, HIV/AIDS, HIV prevention, human rights, Indigenous Peoples, living with HIV, Red Ribbon Awardee, reproductive rights.
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