Hauora | Health & Wellbeing

The Ngā Pou Senior Research Fellow programme contributes to Māori health through developing evidence based information that can enhance Family Violence prevention and intervention approaches. The research component aimed to investigate Māori cultural expressions of emotions to develop a cultural framework that could be applied to Family Violence prevention and intervention work. A key research aim was to explore cultural expressions of emotions to develop an in-depth understanding of a range of emotional states from a Māori perspective. The impetus for the research component of the programme came from Māori Providers, counsellors and community workers who are working alongside whānau.

Tiakina Te Pā Harakeke

'Tiakina Te Pā Harakeke' was a project focused upon tikanga and mātauranga Māori models of wellbeing for whānau.  Te Pā Harakeke is a metaphor for whānau wellbeing. The project shared with whānau, and others, knowledge about raising children in ways that are grounded within tikanga Māori. The project provided access to the wisdom and approaches of a diverse range of people who have depth knowledge in tikanga and childrearing practices. The project supported the wellbeing of tamariki and whānau by providing information that helped to identify, learn and practice positive, cultural approaches to childrearing as practiced by our tupuna.

The role of resiliency in enhancing health and well-being in indigenous communities

This international Indigenous collaboration across Australia, New Zealand and Canada explored resistance and resilience; the ways in which indigenous communities use their strengths to protect themselves and enhance their health and well-being in relation to blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and sexually transmitted intections (STI’s).

The project used Indigenous and interdisciplinary approaches to determine how Indigenous people are able to protect themselves from infections such as hepatitis C and HIV despite the high rates found in some Indigenous communities across these countries. The New Zealand arm of the study, Mauri Tu Mauri Ora, – funded over three years by the Health Research Council - included researchers Dr Clive Aspin, (University of Sydney), Dr Mihi Ratima, Dr Nigel Dickson, (Dunedin School of Medicine), Dr Rhys Jones (University of Auckland) and Professor Linda Smith (University of Waikato).

Tipping Points: The Relationship between Māori youth workforce participation and mental health

The project, led by Professor Linda Smith, was a collaboration between Te Kotahi Research Institute, National Institute for Demographic and Economic Analysis, Māori and Psychology Research Unit and Pou Tuia Rangahau from Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa. It aimed to identify the relationship between Māori youth workforce participation and Māori mental health and to explore ‘tipping points’, risk factors relating to workforce participation which cause Māori youth to experience mental health issues. This project was funded by Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui, the National Centre of Mental Health Research, Information and Workforce Development.