We recently shared our He Waka Eke Noa Dream Phase results at a Matariki Rangahau Series 2024 event in Pōneke. The event brought together researchers, health workers, and community members to celebrate Māori and Pacific health research. The Matariki Rangahau Series 2024, convened by Hei Āhuru Mōwai (the national Māori cancer specialists and researchers leadership rōpū), aims to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and community engagement to improve Māori health outcomes.
The theme of the event was Mana Wahine - celebrating the strength and leadership of women in health research. Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington-based Professor Bev Lawton (Ngāti Porou) and Associate Professor Lynne Russell (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou) facilitated along with Te Aho o Te Kahu Cancer Control Agency’s Director of Equity and Whānau-Centred Care, Sasha Webb (Ngāti Kahu, Ngāpuhi, Pākehā). Matua Tau Huirama welcomed participants and later delivered a presentation on working with whānau in the wairua space https://www.walkingwithtupuna.nz. Other presentations examined the experiences of wāhine using a new colposcopy service at Maraeroa Marae (Porirua) and the needs of transgender children and their whānau when accessing primary health care.
The role of women in establishing Whakauae Research in 2005, and the organisation’s subsequent consolidation and growth, was the starting point of our presentation. The aims and progress of our current Whakauae study in the cancer space followed. We highlighted the unique Kaupapa Māori and Appreciative Inquiry (KMAI) approach that He Waka Eke Noa has adopted and the possibilities it offers https://www.whakauae.co.nz/our-publications/occasional-papers. In the Dream Phase of the research, the second of four, we worked with whānau and staff to explore aspirations for a Whanganui primary care practice that may contribute to lowering Māori cancer mortality rates. Our presentation highlighted the potential of research partnerships between Māori primary health service users, health practitioners and researchers to contribute to achieving pae ora (healthy futures).
The event proved invaluable for further growing our research and community networks. We strengthened our existing connections with Hei Āhuru Mōwai, showcased our research mahi among colleagues, including those we have worked with over the last 20 years, and supported a HARC (a health equity research group based in Whanganui) presentation. We also connected with emerging Māori health researcher, Francis Watson from our rohe. Francis is currently a research fellow with the Centre for Women’s Health Research at Te Herenga Waka. We were especially pleased to be able to further tautoko another emerging Māori health researcher, Rachel Swann during the event, connecting her with colleagues who may be able to support her ongoing study, including Dr Virginia Signal (Cancer and Chronic Conditions research group, University of Otago, Wellington).
Reference
Gifford, H., Potaka-Osborne, G., Cvitanovic, L. (2023). Kaupapa Māori and Appreciative Inquiry: A Review of the Literature. Te Pūtake - Whakauae Raro Occasional Paper Series, Number 5, September. Whakauae Research Services Ltd.
