Toiora, Hauora: Developing Māori arts-based pedagogy for whānau wellbeing

Project Summary

Toiora, Hauora is a Kaupapa Māori arts-based collaboration to theorise the pedagogy of Māori creative practices that support flourishing Māori whānau wellbeing. This innovative research centred Māori arts-based practice ‘as teacher’, bringing together three established Māori arts scholar-practitioners to expand the currently under-researched field of Māori pedagogies, and to highlight the critical role of Māori arts practice and pedagogy to grow well and flourishing Māori futures.

The research developed the pedagogical theory of three embodied art forms - whatu, raranga and kapahaka - often viewed simply as artefact or cultural performance, to make an important contribution to Māori pedagogies for wellbeing, Māori and Indigenous arts and education scholarship, and broader Kaupapa Māori goals of enabling flourishing Māori wellbeing through our own Māori arts-based research lens.

This Kaupapa Māori scoping project developed and tested the theory around the pedagogy of each modality within the researchers own arts-practice communities. 

The aim was to promote a wider range of Kaupapa Māori practices that enable whānau wellbeing through the arts which are inextricably bound to our reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori. A theory of Māori arts pedagogy explored in this scoping project will support seeking funding to scale this work, intertwining our established practice with ‘new’ theory to create a Māori arts pedagogy of praxis across the education, arts and hauora sectors.

Lead Researcher

Dr Hinekura Smith, Te Rarawa, Ngā Puhi, Ngā Wai a Te Tūī Māori and Indigenous Research Centre, Unitec

Research Team

Dr Donna Campbell, Waikato University

Dr Jani Wilson, Ngāti Awa, Ngā Puhi, Mātaatua, Massey University

Highlights

• The project centres Māori arts-based practices—whatu (weaving), raranga (harakeke weaving), and kapahaka (performance arts)—as pedagogical tools, not just cultural artefacts.
• Focused on how these practices contribute to whānau wellbeing through language transmission, cultural education, and intergenerational relationships.
• The project has directly influenced Māori arts pedagogy and its application across education, arts, and health sectors, promoting a deeper understanding of Māori arts’ contribution to flourishing Māori futures.

Select Outputs

Goldsmith, A., Smith, H., & Penetito, K. (2024). Toi Ako – Developing Māori Arts Pedagogy: A Kaupapa Māori Literature Review. Occasional and Discussion Paper 2/2024. ePress, Unitec. Link