Doctoral Projects

This research explored how Kāi Tahu can strengthen control over kai systems, sources, and practices. By weaving together insights on Māori food and nutrition data sovereignty, it offers a foundation for future whānau- and hapori-led kai ora initiatives.

Rewa Paewai (Ngāti Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-a-Rua; Ngāti Pikiao), The University of Auckland

This doctoral study is primarily philosophical, using theory and Māori ontological concepts to engage with culturally significant ideas in Te Oriori mō Whakaewa-i-te-rangi. This oriori was considered by Sir Apirana Ngata to be one of the oldest surviving compositions in Māoridom.  As such, the oriori provides a rich and authentic source of information and knowledge for the study of oontology as it relates to the Ngāti Pakapaka hapū of Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-a- Rua.

The key research questions that drive this study and reflect its methodology are:

What are some of the key ideas expressed in Te Oriori mō Whakaewa-i-te-rangi that can illuminate ontological assumptions of Te Ao Maori?

How do these key ontological ideas underpin and explain aspects of tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori?

The aim of this doctoral study is to add to the current research about Māori ontologies in order to develop a deeper understanding of mātauranga Māori and contribute to discussions about the centrality of te ao Māori including mātauranga in Aotearoa today.

Roma Simmons-Donaldson (Ngāti Porou, Taranaki, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kauwhata), University of Otago

The aim of this research is to investigate the re-establishment of intergenerational language transmission in Wellington whānau who have experienced language loss, by analysing the intersection between second language-speaking parents and their first language-speaking children.

The overarching research question I aim to address is: how do whānau who have experienced language loss reclaim their language and re-establish intergenerational language transmission in an urban environment?

The primary objectives of this research are to highlight critical factors that contribute to raising children to be bilingual in an urban setting, and present strategies that can inform and support whānau on similar journeys. The overarching purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the revitalisation of te reo Māori at the whānau level.

Luke Fitzmaurice (Te Aupōuri), Otago University

My research examines Māori perspectives on child protection, children's rights, and children's voices, including the perceived tension between the voices of children and the voices of whānau in the child protection context. The research addresses how appropriate the recent emphasis on children's voices within the child protection system might be from an Indigenous perspective, given the potential tension between the Western individualised view of children and the importance of whānau within a Māori worldview.

The question guiding my research is: "How should decisions about the safety and wellbeing of tamariki Māori be made, and what role should whānau and tamariki themselves play in that process?" My research seeks to answer this question from the perspectives of tamariki, whānau members, and kaimahi. This will help to illustrate Māori perspectives on children's rights, children's voices, and child protection, contrasting these perspectives with non-Māori perspectives that dominate the design and operation of the current child protection system.

Benjamin Hanara (Ngāti Kahungunu), University of Otago

Vicky Jane Nelson (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Ruanui), University of Otago

Māori experience significant health inequities compared to non-Māori, and injury incidence and outcomes are no exception. Evidence from the Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study (POIS), a longitudinal cohort study of injured New Zealanders, demonstrates that a substantial proportion of Māori experience ongoing difficulties, adverse outcomes, and disability up to 24 months post-injury. However, there remains limited understanding of long-term outcomes beyond this timeframe, particularly from a strengths-based perspective.