kaupapa Māori

Kaupapa Māori early years provision (KM-EYP) has underpinned efforts to revitalise Māori language and culture throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Although many tamariki and whānau have benefited from engagement in KM-EYP, less than 20% of tamariki Māori currently participate. Kaupapa Māori psychological research is needed to better understand what facilitates participation among whānau who attend KM-EYP. This article describes findings from a study that aimed to understand whānau engagement in KM-EYP.

Ko te tino kaupapa o te tuhinga nei hei whakaatu i ngā rautaki a te Maori mō ngā rākau taketake e kainga ana e te ngāngara. Kua whakaputaina mai ngā rautaki e rima nei; pūrākau, rāhui, karakia, tohu, me te mahitahi. I ahu mai ngā rautaki katoa i te mātauranga Māori. Ahakoa, he rerekē ētahi o ngā āhuatanga mō ia rautaki, kotahi noa te whakaakoranga ka puta i ngā rautaki katoa—ko te hononga o ngā mea katoa. Koirā te kitenga matua o te rangahau. Nā te mea, ko tātou ngā tāngata o te ao tūroa, ngā tamariki o te moana, o ngā roto, o ngā awa, o ngā ngahere hoki.

Kaupapa Māori early years provision (KM-EYP) is often understood as a critical site for Māori cultural revitalisation, where a foundation for the educational success and lifelong wellbeing of tamariki Māori is laid. Given its importance, the Tangi te Kawekaweā study sought to identify and examine barriers and facilitators of whānau engagement in KM-EYP. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individual whānau members (n = 19) and whānau groups (n = 5) enrolled in one centre for KM-EYP, and with expert informants (n = 10). This paper reports on the insights gained.

This article explores the Indigenous principle of kaitiakitanga as it relates to Māori agrifood practices. Our discussion is based on interviews with a small cross-section of Māori in the agrifood sector whose practices are informed by a long-standing appreciation of the interconnected realities of lands, food, people and waterways. We consider how the shared Kaupapa Māori principles underpinning these food practices form part of a wider Kaupapa Māori land, water and food systems approach which we call “Kai Ora”.