Placing racism in public health: a perspective from Aotearoa/New Zealand

This commentary reflects on Nancy Krieger’s thinking in light of the links between place, ‘race’ and public health from our vantage points as Maori (indigenous) and Pakeha (settler) researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand. We propose an addition to Krieger’s list of pathways through which racism impacts upon the health of indigenous peoples: the systematic alienation of indigenous lands and subsequent degradation of ecosystems that undermine traditional economies. We believe that this proposal, along with the forging of new community-based research partnerships, will increase the potency of Krieger’s challenge: to name and claim racism as a public health issue.