Leadership

Doctor of Philosophy, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka – University of Otago

Her kaupapa, He Paataka Oranga aims to explore the food identities of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura across Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Doctor of Philosophy, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Jasmine aims for her research to strengthen the tribal identity of Ngāti Apa through land-based healing and through retracing the footsteps of their eponymous ancestor, Apa-Hāpai-Taketake to reclaim mātauranga-ā-iwi.

Master of Public Health, Massey University

Finding Tāne Ora: The lived experience of Māori men who have survived suicide behaviour.

Doctor of Philosophy, Auckland University of Technology

How Indigenous knowledge systems, particularly Māori oral traditions and the use of te maramataka, foster a healing connection between whānau and their environment in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Auckland

How taitamawahine in Te Tai Tokerau enact their reproductive autonomy when making the decision to have an abortion.

Doctor of Clinical Psychology, Massey University

Māori perspectives on the hauora benefits and therapeutic applications of taonga pūoro

Masters of Social Sciences in Population Statistics and Demography, Waikato University

The sense of “home” for rangatahi Māori and how this can be supported for rangatahi engaged in Kirikiriroa Family Services Trust: Tamariki Tu, Tamariki Ora

Master of Philosophy, Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland University of Technology

This practice-led research project aims to produce a study & documentary that will employ pūrākau with filmmaking, presenting a narrative of the pūhoro from the vantage point of a kaiwhiwhi who has undertaken pre-colonial ceremonies and traditions such as the tohi rite (dedication to the atua) and karakia tawhito (traditional chants and incantation)

To test a theoretical framework of relating to the characteristics of He Kawa Ora, exploring Whanganui geopolitical history through an analysis of five Whanganui political marriages between the period of 1750 to 1905, to better understand the source of Whanganui law, or kawa

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Auckland

Kai Ora, Piki Ora: Connections and theories on sovereignties, kai, race, identities and data

Doctor of Philosophy, Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, University of Otago

The experience of whaikaha Māori and the Aotearoa disability system. Through her research outputs, Emily plans to develop tools to improve the experience of whaikaha Māori and their whānau. Part of why Emily wants to interview the whole whānau is to ascertain and understand the experience of Māori whānau and how we can improve the disability system in Aotearoa to improve their experience of health care in Aotearoa

Doctor of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Legislative and policy reform requiring museums in Aotearoa to disclose and repatriate all stolen taonga Māori in their collections, significantly contributing to this field of study. Tāniora’s research interests encompass Indigenous museology, heritage justice, and taonga Māori repatriation. He is passionate about empowering source communities, identifying stolen taonga Māori, and repatriating culturally and historically significant taonga. Tāniora is a committed advocate for kaupapa Māori, focusing on educational and research endeavours that strengthen Indigenous communities. He commits to the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights and heritage justice in Aotearoa and beyond

Doctor of Philosophy, Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, University of Otago

Mana’s thesis draws on cultural pillars within te ao Māori to examine how to better employ Māori ethics and worldviews into scientific research. He will analyse a range of mōteatea, whakataukī, and whakatauākī, alongside interviews with tohunga, kaumātua, kaiako, and experts in te ao Māori, to explore how Māori have historically—and continue to—settle ethical dilemmas. The research will outline key Māori philosophical frameworks relevant to the kinds of challenges encountered in biomedical science

Doctor of Clinical Psychology, Massey University

Erani will explore the cultural safety of assessments conducted for rangatahi Māori with offending behaviours in Te Whatu Ora. This research will have a Kaupapa Māori approach and include working with rangatahi Māori and their whānau. It will help determine whether assessment processes are considered culturally safe from a Māori perspective. Additionally, I aim to explore what cultural safety means to rangatahi Māori, the assessment process’s cultural safety, and rangatahi Māori engagement with their assessors

Doctoral student College of Creative Arts, Massey University

His kaupapa will investigate the transformative development of whakairo o Taranaki (Taranaki style wood carving) into modern-day context relative to the role of whakapapa (tribal lineage) Taranaki mountain-scape and land narratives. Pahi will analyse the Taranaki style carving to identify the origins, evolution and influences embedded within the unique curvilinear style. Researching Taranaki whakapapa to understand their relevance and importance for the landscape and geography of Taranaki Mounga and Taranaki rohe will provide a wider lens on how this unique form is developed and preserved

Masters in Guidance and Counselling, Massey University

Ngaio is a school guidance counsellor who will be looking at culturally disconnected Māori. Ngaio intends to state social problems emanating from the legacy of colonisation in Aotearoa. This statement will include information covering the plight of both culturally connected and culturally disconnected Māori, including poor health, mental health, and life outcomes, thus providing an opportunity for critical thought leading to positive action and transformation of status quo. Te Tiriti o Waitangi provisions and principles provides a framework for resolving inequities

Master of Indigenous Studies, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Katrina’s kaupapa on Taranaki healing practices for pouaru will explore Taranaki tikanga that may facilitate and promote the process of healing from spousal grief. The death customs of Māori have been documented and studied for many years, however, there is a limited amount of literature available regarding the perspectives and encounters of pouaru. The objective of Katrina’s study is to provide a platform for pouaru to express their diverse experiences and to recognise traditional Māori practises that facilitated their process of mourning and recovery

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Otago

Her kaupapa aims to better understand diasporic Māori experience—those who have been displaced from their tūrangawaewae—and how the intergenerational migration of Māori whānau, impacts their identity as Māori. A significant consideration in Leteisha’s rangahau is that the idea of ‘return’ for some, is not an easy task. Therefore, appropriate avenues need to be explored to allow Māori to reconnect with their whakapapa, which will be shaped by those who resonate with diasporic identity

Master of Science (Marine Biology), Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington

Tessa’s Master’s thesis research investigates the history and current state of the toheroa, a large taonga shellfish species, in the rohe of Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, and specifically on Kuku Beach where her whānau Ngāti Tūkorehe whakapapa to. Tessa believes her research will aid in the regeneration of the toheroa, the beach environment in which they live, which will then help her whānau across all generations reconnect with the traditional kai of their people

Doctor of Philosophy, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Her kaupapa, He Mana Moana tō Te Aho Matua: Traditional Celestial Navigation into Māhere Ako is about preparing a variety of experiences for tamāriki aged between 5-12 years old with the basic foundations of becoming a traditional celestial navigator applying language, moteatea (singing), hands on activities, real-life experiences, and relationships. Arna’s kaupapa addresses intergenerational trauma, recovery and healing through Te Aho Matua as a holistic, innovative, and culturally appropriate method that enhances the kaitieki taiao through traditional celestial navigation

Doctor of Philosophy, Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington

Rangatahi Māori understandings of wairuatanga in relation to conceptualising identity and connections to self, whānau/hapū/iwi, and te taiao/ngā atua Māori.

Doctor of Philosophy, Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington.

Māori are disproportionately affected by food insecurity in Aotearoa. One in five New Zealand children are food insecure, and the majority of those children are Māori and Pasifika. My study/career goal to address this injustice in food distribution.

Masters of Science, University of Waikato

To work with iwi/hāpu to create solutions on how we can be better kaitiaki of our moana/taiao in the face of climate change; with a focus on kaimoana preservation succession and mātauranga/tikanga Māori for the benefit of our tamariki/mokopuna.

Masters of Applied Indigenous Knowledge, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Localised tribal curriculums, with Te Kura o Kokohuia being a case study for its successes. Localised tribal curriculums seek to rejuvenate local customs, traditions and ways of learning by applying them to modern contexts, in this case, the western schooling system. These curriculums are underpinned by Kaupapa Māori methodologies, including but not limited to, pōwhiri, tangihanga, karakia, ruruku, waiata, taki whakapapa, kaupapa atua and so forth. This leads to a revitalising of the traditional methods of recalling and repopulating our knowledge

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Auckland.

Enhancing the healing potential of birth for whānau Māori. I seek to contribute to growing Māori healing and recovery knowledges particularly in the area of mātauranga ūkaipō

Photo by: Josie McClutchie

Masters of Science, University of Otago

Taranaki tua tinini. Working alongside my w’ānau, hapū and iwi of Taranaki we hope to make note of how climate change is impacting our coastal communities. Specifically looking at the implications for social, cultural and economic wellbeing of mana w’enua whilst maintaining our manaaki for the taiao. It is also my hope to highlight what this all means in the reality we find ourselves in as people dispossessed of w’enua as a result of confiscation and the intergenerational trauma that has followed

Masters of Community Dentistry, University of Otago

As a public health dentist I will be working directly with whānau, hapū and iwi to reorientate the oral health system. I am witness to how Pākehā models of oral healthcare delivery fails Māori. My studies will show that kaupapa Māori models underpinned by mātauranga Māori and a whānau centric approach achieve oral health equity

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Auckland

I have been a Registered Nurse for 25 years. My PhD provides an evidence base for nursing to dismantle Māori health inequities. Racism and bias will be identified in parallel with nurses’ access to quality/quantity of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and cultural safety training and development.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Auckland

Familial childhood sexual abuse (FCSA) is epidemic in Aotearoa. Using Kaupapa Māori methodologies, I’ve been gifted 15 pūrākau by mōrehu of FCSA, each a testament to strength and resilience, accessed through enactment of whanaungatanga-iho. Mōrehu are creating long-lasting change toward well-being for their whānau by challenging imposter tikanga

Doctor of Māori Development & Advancement (Rongoā Māori), Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

How the use of Traditional healing systems can improve the wellbeing of our whānau and hapū by answering the following question ‘In what ways does papakainga facilitate the expression of Rongoā at Mangamāhoe’

Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies (Rangatahi), Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

‘Ka hao te rangatahi’ has explored school and work pathways for rangatahi. It was an intimate study which included the voices of six rangatahi affiliated to gang spaces and their experiences with navigating these pathways from this space. It also included an intergenerational perspective of five adults who were these same rangatahi

Master of Science (Critical Health Psychology), Massey University

The impact that trauma has had on our Māori whānau intergenerational health and wellbeing, and how our indigenous knowledge can provide methods, processes and techniques for supporting whānau to move from a state of pātu ngākau to oranga ngākau. We hope to explore our different states of ‘wellbeing’ including the transition states of ‘mauri’ using the lens of Magnetic Resonating Imaging (MRI) to monitor the recovery of healthy brain neural connectivity that can become distorted during extreme or sustained stress

Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership (Mātauranga), University of Canterbury

E mea ana te whakatauākī o tō mātau pou kuia a Te Manawanui Pauro ‘Ki te ngaro tō mita, ka ngaro ō maunga, ō awa, ō tupuna. Ki te ako i tō mita, ka hoki mai o maunga, ō awa, ō tupuna’. Kāore e kore i whakapono ōku kaumātua ki ēnei kōrero, me tō rāua hiahia kia ora tonu ai te reo o Whanganui i roto i ā rāua mokopuna kia kore ai e ngaro. Ēnei kōrero, ēnei āhuatanga katoa ka arahina ahau i roto i aku mahi katoa, kia whai oranga, whai hua tōku whānau, hapū, iwi anō hoki.

Doctor of Philosophy (Māori Studies), Victoria University of Wellington

The customary water rituals of Ngāti Tūwharetoa endemic to Lake Taupō and adjoining waterways and the role that these rituals play in the relationship between water and Ngāti Tūwharetoa. In my opinion iwi and hapū knowledge preservation and the revitalisation of traditional practices, particularly rituals, is a critical area that affects all of Māoridom. The collation of oral histories and accounts related to our water traditions, makes a significant contribution to our tribal cultural resources and facilitates access for those who seek the limited remains of this type of knowledge

Doctor of Philosophy in Māori Health, The University of Auckland

Whakapapa as a way of being, knowing, and doing, and the role of genomics

Doctor of Philosophy in Geography, University of Otago

The customary concept of mauri from the perspective of taonga

Doctor of Philosophy in Cultural Anthropology, Victoria University of Wellington

Whānau-based recovery pathways for healing