Te wheke is the Māori word for "octopus" and its meanings are quite complex.
The head of the octopus represents the whānau while the eyes represent waiora, what could be translated as wellbeing.
The legs of the octopus represent eight other aspects of health:
Wairuatanga – spirituality
Hinengaro – the mind
Taha tinana – physical wellbeing
Whanaungatanga - extended family
Mauri – life force in people and objects
Mana ake – unique identity of individuals and family
Hā a koro ma, a kui ma – breath of life from forbearers
Whatumanawa – the open and healthy expression of emotion
It is important to remember that there are no clear distinctions between these aspects of health.
I took this almost verbatim from the Ministry of Health website as I couldn't put it better myself.
Te wheke was developed as a concept by Dr. Rangimarie Turuki Rose Pere, a Māori elder who has been involved in education, community development and language revitalization for the past 40 years.
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