Search

The 2023 Bible Society New Zealand's translation of sample biblical passages into the Māori language, He Tīmatanga, caused controversy by incorporating names of Māori gods. Those who objected typically assumed inconsistency with the Bible's purported monotheism. But 'monotheism', in the sense that only one god exists, is not present in the Bible. Moreover, missionary adherence to monotheism in the mid-nineteenth century widely assumed a 'degeneration model' that also promoted European religious, moral, and cultural superiority. This article adopts a hermeneutical strategy to counter monotheistic misreadings of the Bible, and their racist effects, by reading Māori stories of the ancient divine hero Tāwhaki alongside the ancient divine heroes who feature in Gen 6:1–4's account of the Nephilim. First, the comparison provides resources for the translation of Gen 6:1–4 into the Māori language and worldview. Second, the Tāwhaki narratives stimulate a reappraisal of longstanding problems in the interpretation of Gen 6:1–4, especially the meaning of the phrase "the sons of the gods". Supported by analysis also of the Sumerian King List, this article argues that all three major interpretations of "the sons of the gods" are fundamentally consistent: they are gods, elite human rulers, and also Sethites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utility of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledges) in Aotearoa|New Zealand Forest conservation is not particularly visible in research and policy. Indeed, current forest biosecurity processes are largely constructed from Western principles, values and scientific knowledge that are often devoid of Māori beliefs and values. While the interface between mātauranga Māori and mainstream science is still problematic, we argue that traditional Māori frameworks, ethics, and principles that capture local interests, perspectives, realities, and aspirations of Māori are mandatory to articulate modern solutions to taonga species and biosecurity issues. A mātauranga Māori approach draws upon physical, spiritual, and metaphysical values, providing a unique knowledge base in which to improve environmental management, including protection of biological heritage. By employing a pūrākau (storying) method that endorses personal lived realities as a means of knowledge transfer, we were able to elicit the meaning and value our participants give to te taiao (the environment), ngahere (forests) and taonga (heritage) species. We conclude that mātauranga Māori is a necessary discourse if the longer-term biosecurity strategic goals of Māori and the government are to effectively and efficiently result in collaborative priorities in forest health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rangatahi described 'hāpai te hauora' as 'breathing your ancestors into life'. This paper explores the ways rangatahi Māori make sense of and live 'hāpai te hauora' through sharing their stories of navigating wellbeing. Twenty rangatahi Māori (16-20 years) from diverse backgrounds living in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand) were interviewed by Māori researchers. From the resulting rich and insightful data, short pūrākau (narratives) were analysed at a wānanga involving 34 rangatahi to further explore key findings and expressions of wellbeing through art, design and co-creation. Findings indicate that rangatahi Māori know and experience hauora as living shared values. They search for safe spaces, both human and environmental, to grow, challenge and express who they are and who they want to be. Distinctions were consistently made between their own lived culture and the dominant colonial culture. Rangatahi Māori described a yearning to be seen, heard and sovereign just as they are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of culturally appropriate approaches to therapy is in its infancy in Aotearoa New Zealand, with western psychological models dominating. This study explored how psychological health professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand use story, myth, and pūrākau1 in their practice. Practitioners were asked about their rationale for choosing this approach, its advantages and challenges, and their beliefs regarding the fit of this modality within psychological practice. The findings reveal a collective appreciation of the value of story, myth, and pūrākau alongside other therapeutic modalities particularly, but not exclusively, for Māori. Story, myth, and pūrākau are valued for allowing clients to bring their own meaning and significance to the narrative, as well as the benefits of self-determination. The power of the archetype is explored, and the importance of connecting with unconscious and spiritual elements when working therapeutically with Māori. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pesquisa conduzida pela prática artística está desafiando a hegemonia acadêmica convencional ao fornecer um espaço onde o conhecimento indígena pode ser valorizado e respeitado. A prática artística no pensamento Māori2 é mais do que a produção de artefatos. É uma forma sagrada e altamente estimada de conhecimento Māori evidenciado pelos tohungas que são reconhecidos como especialistas em seus campos. O processo criativo é profundamente respeitado por suas conotações sagradas (tapu)3 . Tanto seus trabalhos quanto seu associado legado pedagógico (contido na escultura, música, arquitetura, tecelagem ou oratória) são entendidos como inter-relacionados. Valorizados como pensadores, professores e repositórios de conhecimento, o trabalho dos praticantes tohunga alcança gerações. Assim, a pesquisa conduzida pela prática artística, vista pela lente Kaupapa Māori4 , invoca novas formas de pensar e fazer.

INTRODUCTION: This article discusses the development of a distinctively Māori methodology that centres knowledge and practices that are embedded within whānau. Mātauranga-ā-whānau is a Kaupapa Māori approach that brings a focus upon Māori knowledge that is transmitted intergenerationally. APPROACH: The development of Mātauranga-ā-Whānau as a methodological approach supports both the assertion by Graham Hingangaroa Smith (1997) that Kaupapa Māori must be committed to the validation and legitimation of Māori worldviews and the argument by Leonie Pihama (2001) that there are multiple ways of expressing Māori theories and methodologies. Pihama (2001) highlights that affirming whānau, hapū and iwi ways of being within the broader discussion of Kaupapa Māori is critical. While it is beyond the scope of this article to provide an in-depth discussion of both Kaupapa Māori theory and Mātauranga Māori, it is important to note that both cultural frameworks inform the way in which Mātauranga-ā-Whānau is discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Drawing upon whānau knowledge, experiences and practices, through pūrākau, this article introduces how Māori can approach research applying culturally grounded methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Indigenous research is diverse and rich with multiple epistemological understandings. There is no one template for how we go about this. Shut out from the hallowed halls of academia for generations, Indigenous wāhine have taken up the diversity of our perspectives and, in doing so, space has been created to compose from our own contexts. APPROACH: This article explores one way of engaging in research as an Indigenous social worker. It is the sharing of my own process of mapping out my legitimacy in an academic space and in a Māori space as a colonised wahine Kāi Tahu caught in the dual complexities of decolonising and living in this time. Navigating wāhine Kā i Tahu methodology is about the journey to create from my own context, honouring the process and the voices and experiences of the wāhine Kā i Tahu who shared in my research. The process includes the melding of traditional Kāi Tahu stories into a methodological framework in Indigenous ethnography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article was to explore the application and interpretation of indigenous stories introduced in 2015–2017 in relation to the identity and leadership (well-being elements) of players and coaches of a men's provincial rugby team in Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ). The study utilised a Kaupapa Māori case study approach and indigenous forms of storytelling (pūrākau, whakataukī) to encourage participants to share their narratives and experiences of how the inclusion of Māori knowledge in a team context influenced their sense of identity and leadership and thus well-being on and off the field. Semi-structured, one-on-one, interviews alongside focus group discussions generated the data (narratives) collected. Data were thematically analysed, utilising aspects of an indigenous model of Health Promotion known as Te Pae Māhutonga. Specifically, the cultural identity affirmation (Mauri Ora) and leadership (Ngā Manukura) elements were illustrated as these were applicable to high performance sport contexts. Analysis revealed that the team narrative, values and expectations were enhanced by embracing Māori stories (pūrākau) and symbols. In particular, this enhanced the cultural identity, sense of belonging, leadership and well-being of a number of team members on and off-field. Neither the players nor coaches disclosed any negative impacts to their well-being from incorporating indigenous storytelling (pūrākau, whakataukī) into their team building practices and culture. Sport-related research and practices that are informed by indigenous knowledge and values can benefit the well-being of indigenous people (in this case Māori), collectives (rugby team) and individuals (researchers, players and coaches). Further research exploring how indigenous knowledge is integrated into sport-related contexts is needed to understand whether the well-being of a wider range of teams and individuals (women, non-indigenous) may benefit from the inclusion of indigenous knowledge, values and practices. • New and novel research (building upon the existing scholarship). • Kaupapa Māori methods (indigenous research methods; pūrākau). • Introduces new innovations into ethno-cultural inclusion in sport (Rugby). • Provides recent, specific, examples of the impact this has upon holistic well-being. • Discusses the impact that these practices could have for settings outside rugby/sport. • Responsive to calls from the field for empirical and theoretical research to include the often silenced voices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Indigenous culture, stories are a common repository of knowledge and facilitate the process of knowing. Māori academics (Indigenous to Aotearoa New Zealand) have developed approaches based on key principles of Māori research, oral traditions and narrative inquiry to express experiences as Māori. To extend this, a Māori approach called Kaupapa Kōrero was developed to gather, present and understand Māori experiences. The application of whakapapa (genealogy) as a relational analytical framework provided a way of identifying personal kōrero (stories) and integrating them within layers of interrelated kōrero about their whānau (family), te ao Māori (Māori culture) and society that influences contemporary experiences of being Māori. Whakapapa also enabled a cross-examination of kōrero and identification of common intersecting factors such as Māori ethnicity, age, parenting status and socioeconomic position. This Māori narrative approach revealed a more complex and nuanced understanding of the interrelatedness and influence of societal expectations, indigeneity, Māori culture and whānau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mātauranga Māori spans Māori knowledge, culture, values and world view. Pūrākau and maramataka, forms of mātauranga Māori, comprise knowledge generated using methods and techniques developed independently from other knowledge systems. Hitherto mostly ignored or disregarded by the science community because it seemed to be myth and legend, fantastic and implausible, mātauranga Māori includes knowledge generated using techniques consistent with the scientific method, but explained according to a Māori world view. Acknowledging this extends the history of scientific endeavour back to when Māori arrived in Aotearoa and Te Wai Pounamu, many centuries ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reproduction of Indigenous people, who have experienced ongoing cultural and ethnic marginalization, has long been a source of contention in colonizing contexts. There is scope to further decolonize and reinvigorate traditional Indigenous knowledge that has relevancy and utility in contemporary lives. The present article engages a pūrākau (narrative) methodology (Lee, 2009) to construct a culturally relevant PhD literature review and synthesize a range of source materials to develop an account of traditional Māori knowledge (mātauranga Māori) pertaining to reproduction in a New Zealand context. Three areas are explored based on their novelty and distinctiveness from Western accounts of reproduction: connections between humans, spiritual domains and the natural environment; contextualization within social and familial structures; and a unique and refreshing view of masculine and feminine embodiment. Conclusions are drawn on novel implications of this knowledge for research and health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]