University of Otago

This report has been prepared for Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga as part of the summer internship programme 2018-2019. This project is titled Tangaroa Ara Rau: Whānau connections and Water Safety with a purpose to understand unique whānau connections to water and its benefit for water safety.

This research report has been titled Rākau-nui as an acknowledgement to the full moon phase in the Maramataka (Māori lunar calendar). Rākau-nui also represents the collected journey to which this full report has been constructed from. The Maramataka is

What does tikanga Māori mean in today’s context; how is tikanga Māori understood and practiced within iwi, hapū, whānau, marae and more broadly in our everyday practices and national institutions; and how can key Māori principles and practices such as wānanga, kaitiakitanga, hakairo Māori, and wairua Māori more holistically drive research, professional and daily practice?

What existing research, collation, archivingand disseminating of knowledge specific to te reo me ngā tikanga Māori has been done to date across Aotearoa New Zealand within Māori communities, government agencies, and research institutions’, what additional strategies can be used to further support the normalising of te reo me ngā tikanga in the modern world to create communities of practice;

How do we collectivise what we have for greater gain?

What are the knowledge gaps pertaining to the impact of incarceration on whānau health and wellbeing, what is the nature and scope of current initiatives for whānau who have a family member incarcerated, and what are the barriers and challenges for whānau utilising current initiatives for these whānau members?