Mātauranga Māori has been severely impacted by settler-colonial agendas; however, continued efforts by Māori have supported mātauranga revival. This article examines interviews with 10 māmā and their journeys to reclaim ancestral knowledges for their tamariki. Māmā described reclaiming ancestral practices, including birthing traditions, wairuatanga, tikanga Māori, te reo Māori, rongoā Māori, weaving and food cultivation. Drawing on a whakapapa approach and the Hautū Waka framework, thematic analysis revealed a journey into the unknown, guided by tohu and shaped by challenges and resilience.

This narrative review examines the intersection of gambling harms and stigma among Māori, Pacific peoples, Asian communities and youth in Aotearoa New Zealand. The literature shows that stigma is shaped less by individual behaviour than by structural factors such as colonisation, socio-economic inequities, migration pressures and the concentration of pokies in low-income communities. We identify how stigma is experienced within each population and how it influences help-seeking, highlighting the central role of identity, cultural obligations and collective wellbeing.

In 2010, the passing of the Electoral (Disqualification of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Act removed voting rights for all prisoners, regardless of sentence length. A decade later, prisoners serving sentences of less than three years were re-enfranchised. Research and public discourse have highlighted the disproportionate effects of prisoner disenfranchisement for Māori, given persistent overrepresentation of Māori in prison. However, less attention has focused on the specific effects of disenfranchisement for wāhine Māori in prison.

Sir Hirini Moko Mead’s Five Tests framework helps identify a te ao Māori response to contemporary challenges. One such issue that Mead confronted, more than two decades ago, was genetic modification. We applied Mead’s precedent test to a genetic technology under development in Aotearoa New Zealand called single-sex offspring selection (SSOS). Single-sex offspring selection aims to control rat populations that harm native species either by producing primarily male litters or, by rendering females infertile, through a gene drive.

The New Zealand Government is planning to establish youth justice military-style academies through legislation. Public critique argues they are essentially boot camps, and research shows that these approaches can negatively impact young people who have experienced trauma. This article shares insights from a project funded by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga investigating trauma in rangatahi Māori engaged in serious youth offending. This study explored the perspectives of Kaupapa Māori community-based social workers, youth workers and organisational leaders (n = 11) working with rangatahi Māori who appeared in the youth court for offending.

This study explored whether functional, accessible, affordable, buildable (FAAB) small homes (45–70 m²) can meet the needs and aspirations of whānau Māori. Seventeen participants shared their experiences and design preferences through interviews and interactive activities. Analysis was informed by Te Whare Tapa Whā (Durie, 1985), a Māori model of wellbeing that recognises the interconnectedness of spiritual, emotional, physical, and whānau dimensions. Participants emphasised the importance of whānau-centred design, connection to whenua, cultural expression, and accessibility across life stages.

The significant burden of type 2 diabetes (T2D) for Maaori populations highlights the crucial need for culturally responsive health education. This study used Kaupapa Maaori participatory action research methodology in collaboration with a semi-rural Waikato community to develop tailored T2D educational resources. The process included initial consultation, thematic analysis, resource development, community feedback, and final refinement. Eleven participants (aged 35–44) engaged in focus groups to ascertain their preferences for educational materials. Maaori researchers undertook thematic analysis, integrating Kaupapa Maaori concepts and a strength-based perspective.

Crucial to promoting Indigenous youth autonomy is engaging with young people in research processes in a way that promotes their voice and cultural agency. Like other young people, taitamariki Māori perceptions of their own lives and experiences provide essential input towards creating better conditions for and with them, now and in the future. In planning Harmonised, our school-based taitamariki and Māori-centred project promoting healthy intimate partner relationships that ran from 2016 to 2020, we found little literature to guide our engagement processes.

Cats occupy a complicated space in Aotearoa New Zealand. Domestic cats are valued companion animals. In contrast, feral cats are recognised as one of the most damaging invasive species nationally and internationally. Given this duality, it is important to understand how all New Zealanders perceive and value both feral and companion cats. This literature review explores contemporary Māori attitudes and values towards cats, as documented in academic and grey literature, as well as iwi and hapū management plans.

Research on the health outcomes of Pasifika people in New Zealand has begun to focus on the church’s role as well as that of the Pasifika worldview. This study explores the relationship between the church, Pasifika families and the health system through the concept of vā. Five Pasifika participants, four parishioners and their church minister were interviewed online to facilitate dialogue and gather their voices. Four themes emerged from the interviews and the data analysis: (1) the role of family and close relationships, (2) interactions with healthcare, (3 the role of the church and (4) overarching systemic discussions.