2024 He Pounga Waihoe Nā ō Mātua Symposium

Symposium of Māori experiences of intergenerational trauma, recovery and healing

Date and venue:

Thursday 13 June 2024 (9am to 5pm)

Te Ao Hou Marae
356 Somme Parade
Aramoho
Whanganui

Please note

  • This is an in-person event and will not be live streamed.
  • The programme for the Symposium will be shared on 31 May 2024.
  • The marae venue is not available for accommodation.
  • There is no charge for this event. However, if you register and then are not able to make it, please ensure you tell us straight away so we can offer your place for others.
  • Koha for the marae would be appreciated.

Registrations to attend will be opening soon (follow our Facebook page to know when they will open)

We welcome abstracts for this Symposium from current Master’s and doctoral Māori students, those who have completed their studies, community researchers, whānau, hapū, iwi, service providers and others who are interested in Māori experiences of intergenerational trauma and healing.

Our research programme at Te Atawhai o Te Ao, ‘He Pounga Waihoe Nā ō Mātua’, speaks to the water which is displaced by the paddle of our ancestors. It acknowledges that the decisions of our ancestors to create a forward motion, require consistent effort that ripple and impact all aspects of life. More importantly, the work we do now, impacts our whānau now and into the future. This research programme recognises that in order for action to be initiated and momentum to be maintained that advances whānau health and well-being, we need to draw on traditional knowledge as we navigate through unchartered waters. The new programme proposes five overall research projects, based on Whanganui whakataukī that align with our research priorities for the next seven years:

  • Wairua: Spiritual nourishment and reciprocity. Whānau health and well-being is underpinned and sustained by spiritual connotations, often connected to atua and the environment
  • Waiata: Cultural recovery and prosperity. Whānau identity is deeply rooted in cultural tenets influenced by the environment, and addressing intergenerational trauma requires holistic, innovative, culturally appropriate methods of recovery and healing
  • Waiora: Environmental well-being and enhancement. Whānau well-being and the natural environment are interconnected. Efforts that enhance the environment will lead to better health outcomes for whānau who are recovering from intergenerational trauma.
  • Waimāori: Social resilience and identity. Whānau-led recovery must be cognisant of contemporary challenges that impact on whānau resilience and identity, and there are multiple influencers that can work collaboratively to support whānau in achieving their aspirations
  • Waipuna: Physical health and body sovereignty. Whānau view health holistically, requiring equilibrium to be established across spiritual, cultural, emotional and physical domains. Physical health from a whānau perspective includes recognising the importance of our traditions where bodies have mana and tapu.

If you would like to submit an abstract for consideration, your presentation topic should cover at least one of the above research priorities.

Please note

  • Te Atawhai o Te Ao is unable to provide travel reimbursement or accommodation for presenters at this symposium.