Awatea Waimārie Moxon (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāi Tahu), Te Herenga Waka Victoria University
My research explores the relationship between wellbeing and whakapapa knowledge (Māori history, genealogy and creation stories).
My PhD extends my previous research, which became the first to empirically illustrate the correlation between whakapapa knowledge and mental wellbeing over time (8 years). The present research employs a mixed-methods approach to further elucidate how and to what extent whakapapa knowledge contributes to wellbeing.
Study 1 of my PhD is a qualitative study, which consults expert genealogists known as Mātanga whakapapa to explore the influence of expert whakapapa knowledge on wellbeing; Study 2 further investigates how whakapapa knowledge influences wellbeing through the lived experience of Moko Kanohi (those with traditional facial tāmoko) and; Study 3, quantitatively surveys the influence of increased whakapapa knowledge on Māori wellbeing through engagement with an immersive whakapapa-based Pūrākau (Māori creation stories) course.
Together, this PhD provides robust evidence that whakapapa knowledge is not only a cultural pillar and treasure of te ao Māori, but also a valuable source of strength and empowerment. By demonstrating the power and utility of whakapapa knowledge to promote mental health, this research highlights a uniquely Māori pathway to wellbeing—one that can inform future approaches in health, education, and community development across Aotearoa.