Te Niwha Community Development Grants

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau I  Summary of Research 

Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula is a remote rural community with four Papatipu Rūnanga and residents living in several discrete communities across the peninsula.

Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere), known as Te Kete Ika o Rākaihautū - The Fish Basket of Rākaihautū, is a rural community with on Papatipu Rūnanga.

The aim of this project is to assess the feasibility of establishing a sustainable community-led response plan for infectious disease for Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū and Te Kete Ika o Rākaihautū, under the guidance of mana whenua and clinical supervisors.

The methodology involves conducting a literature review of lessons learned from Covid-19 responses for rural Māori communities and international best practices for rural community-led responses to infectious disease outbreaks.

A wānanga will be held with representatives from each of the five Papatipu Rūnanga to discuss literature review findings and input from a Te Ao Māori perspective in the context of each marae community.

The outcomes of the review and wānanga will be presented in a report, including recommendations for the infectious disease response plan.

Te Hiranga a Rangahau I  Research Impact

This study will be used to leverage further support from stakeholders, local and regional councils and other health agencies, for the continual development of a community-led preparedness plan for pandemics, emerging and current infectious diseases for rural hapū and their wider communities. It is envisaged that this report and any subsequent plan, can be used as a guiding tool for other rural communities and iwi/hapū.

Principal investigator: Manaia Cunningham, Mahaanui Kurataiao Limited, Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau I  Summary of Research 

This project will provide exposure to a career option in science, health, and pandemic responsiveness for rangatahi Māori who have strong capability in mātauranga and Māori engagement and networking. This community development grant will focus on demonstrating career pathways in science to tauira Māori of TE Wharekura o Hoani Waititi Marae, a full immersion te reo Māori school. It has the potential to positive impact the future careers of these tauira as well as address the critical underrepresentation of Māori in health fields.

Barriers to accessing an education in science are greater for tauira Māori than non-Māori, and such barriers are compounded within te reo Māori immersion schools due to the scarcity of te reo Māori speaking kaiako pūtaiao. Consequently, there are educational inequities in exposure to science subjects for Māori secondary students. This not only leads to missed opportunities for Ngāi Māori but also for the science workforce, where Māori represent a mere 4% of the health research workforce. In acknowledgment of the vast health inequities existent for Māori, it is imperative to enhance efforts to increase the Māori scientific and health research workforce.

Established in 1985, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae was the first kura kaupapa Māori and currently provides education from pre-school age 0 to year 13 for whānau residing in West Auckland. Demonstrating career pathways in science has the potential to positively impact the future careers of tauira as well as address the critical underrepresentation of Māori in health fields.

This project will demonstrate what a career in science and pandemic responsiveness entails to rangatahi senior students within Te Wharekura o Hoani Waititi Marae.

Te Hiranga a Rangahau I  Research Impact

This grant has the potential to impact the future career options for these tauira Māori and to increase representation of Māori in science and health research.

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau I  Summary of Research 

Roma Marae is situated in Ahipara, the Southern end of 90 Mile Beach, Te Hiku o te Ika, Tai Tokerau. Ko Pōrua te tūpuna, Whanatauatia te maunga, Karirikura te moana, Te Rawawa te iwi. The whakatauki (legacy) of Pōroa 'kia ū ki te whakapono, kia aroha tētahi ki tētahi' - 'hold fast to the truth, love one another' is the underpining kaupapa of the marae. It is a focal point of whānau, hapū (subtribes) who make up the community of Roma marae. The current marae beneficial roll is approximately 2400.

Thirteen trustees are representative of the local hapū, who have a wide range of professional expertise. These trustees, hold in trust the land, set aside as a Māori Reservation for the purpose of a marae, to govern and administer the same for the beneficiaries of Pōroa’s legacy.

The response of Te Hiku iwi, hapū and marae to the national COVID-19 lockdown beginning March 2020 was rapid and enveloped every part of their community. Strategically planned initiatives, carefully put together to protect and tautoko their people with particular emphasis on the elderly and vulnerable was able to be cascaded through the community with urgency and relevance. At this time Roma Marae beneficiary roll had 50 kaumatua, kuia over the age of 60 in their immediate marae community. The full impacts of COVID-19 were unknown at this time, however, Roma Marae realised the impacts of ‘lockdown’ on their kaumatua/kuia – isolation, uncertainty, current communications, misinformation was something they could support as a marae.

·      They set up a ‘check in kumara vine’ to maintain connectivity and contact each kaumatua/kuia to ensure their specific needs can be purchased as the basis of providing ‘care packs/shopping needs’.

·      They distributed bulk ‘koha’ kai – fish, vegetables, groceries – across their networks.

·      They shared COVID-19 information, taking the time to explain important health messages and answer questions or provide access to answers.

·      They initiated projects to enhance food sovereignty for their marae community. To ensure a resilient future, they established home vegetable gardens, provided garden equipment and seeds, and planted a food forest with fruits and vegetables at the marae.

·      Their marae collaborated with various social agencies to create a contingency plan. This plan allows their marae to serve as a self-isolation accommodation option for whānau returning from urban centers or overseas who need support.

·      They ensured they practice health and safety protocols – in contacting, purchasing, packing and delivering the ‘care packs/shopping needs.

COVID-19 highlighted how swiftly their marae mobilised to meet national needs, particularly in supporting their kaumatua and kuia. Across the country, there were fears about supply chain issues, especially in the Far North Region. Additionally, they faced water supply pressures following an unusually dry summer before the pandemic led to a total lockdown. Their marae was determined to support their community, alleviate growing anxieties, and ensure that basic needs were met for those most in need.

The COVID-19 period had several significant impacts. They strengthened their networks among their marae and whānau, always having plenty of help, even on short notice. Their connections with the wider community allowed us to meet kanohi-ki-te-kanohi and solidify these relationships for the future. It highlighted what their marae do best caring for people. They were able to practice their tikanga we talk about on their marae, deeply rooted in Te Ao Māori world view.

The global pandemic event highlighted the importance of building a more resilient community at our marae, in case they face a similar or worse situation in the future. They are considering what this resilience would look like and how quickly they could mobilize again. They believe that a Te Ao Māori worldview is crucial for their marae, and their strategic plan includes the goal of Pou Whakaara Tangata – Social Wellbeing, Hauora, which focuses on building a resilient community to prepare for future pandemic events.

AIMS OF PROJECT:

·      Enhance Knowledge: Gain a comprehensive understanding of probable infectious diseases and their potential impact on their community.

·      Build Connections: Establish valuable connections with professionals and organizations working in the field of infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness.

·      Improve Preparedness: Develop and refine strategies to improve their marae community’s preparedness and response to future pandemics.

·      Access Resources: Identify and access resources, tools, and best practices that can be implemented within their marae community.

·      Promote Collaboration: Foster collaborative efforts with other indigenous communities and stakeholders to strengthen their collective response to infectious diseases.

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau I  Summary of Research 

Whakapapa is the foundation of Te Ao Māori and this spans outside of them, to their Taiao. Being able to see what life forms exist in their awa would be invaluable.

This project will create an awareness for their hapū to see what taonga species still exist, and which have been lost over the years. This will create a baseline for marae to know which taonga species need help to return.

The team within this project aims to test the eDNA of all awa belonging to their 23 Marae.

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau I  Summary of Research 

The Ngāti Tamaoho rohe (areas of interest) extends from north of the Tamaki Isthmus to south of the Waikato River, to the Whangamarino wetlands. It extends from the West Coas to the Hauraki Gulf / Firth of Thames. Its interests are concentrated in the Manakau lowlands, Āwhitu Peninsula, Papakura, Hunua Ranges, Mangatangi and Whangamarino.

Situated in their geographical area are copious amounts of education sectors that they currently engage with to execute their aspirations through the vehicle of Te Ara Mātauranga o Ngāti Tamaoho.

AIMS OF PROJECT:

·      Host a pūtaiao waananga/hui that will increase the engagement and uptake of sciences across the curriculum for Māori and Pasifika students

·      Encourage the opportunity of learning for whaanau along side their Rangatahi

·      Demonstrate success through a cultural safe lens

Te Hiranga a Rangahau I  Research Impact 

The outcome will be an increased engagement of Māori and Pasifika ākonga within the curriculum area of Social Sciences.

Principal investigator: Monique Henry, Ngāti Tamaoho Trust

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau I  Summary of Research 

Pūhoro is a science, technology, engineering, mathematics and mātauranga Māori (STEMM) programme that aims to foster grater diversity and mātauranga Māori expertise across the STEMM landscape. Pūhoro's intermship programme sits within Pūhoro's tertiary phase, Te Urunga Pae.

The Kia Tupu Grant is funding Pūhoro’s Internship Noho, which is an event that kickstarts internships each year. During Noho, interns participate in workshops aimed at whakawhanaungatanga, equipping them for their internships, and celebrating their identity as rangatahi Māori.

Te Hiranga a Rangahau I  Research Impact

The purpose of Pūhoro's internship programme is to increase representation of Māori in STEMM study and career pathways. The programme achieves this by providing tauira opportunities to gain real world research experience, develop practical STEMM skills, build robust professional netwrosk, strengthen relationships with their peers, recieve 1-1 support from Pūhoro kaimahi and bolster their identity as Māori.

Principal Investigator: Seth Clement, Pūhoro Charitable Trust

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau I  Summary of Research

In addition to raising awarenes of sepsis, the project aims to gather feedback to new sepsis resources, and to co-create awareness plans and content to  help build resilience in response to infection and sepsis.

A kaupapa of kahohi ki te kanohi managa, listening and learning to help us raise awareness, mitigate the impact of xepsis in vulnerable communities, co-create awareness strategies and ultimately save lives.

The objective was to undertake three face-to-face wananga with Māori and Pasifika health providers to understand how we are best to collaborate and reach their communities with effective messaging.

Specifically, we want to:

·      Collate feedback on our resources

·      Socialise the new healthcare pathways (with our Māori Consumer Rep to be onsite to present)

·      Make improvements to our digital footprint

·      Understand how to collaborate with other health providers to improve outcomes

·      Determine the next best steps for rollout of our new resources

·      Co-design an action pathway

·      Build long term relationships to deliver real change.

The proposed wananga will help to strengthen the adoption of dedicated resources and pathways for our Māori and Pasifika communities and the learnings will underpin the work we are going to have the National Sepsis Action plan adopted.

Final Report 

Principal investigator: Michelle Crook, National Sepsis Trust

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau I  Summary of Research

The Mana Moana Three Lakes project brings together the mana whenua/moana of Lakes Whakakī, Wairewa, and Ōmāpere in a unified effort to restore and safeguard these culturally significant water bodies.