Ngāi Tai Whakaora is a one-year research programme led by Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

The programme consists of two projects, one focusing on the development of a Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Health Strategy (He Paringa Tai) and one focusing on conducting research to understand the health needs and prioroties of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki members (He Timunga Tai). Both projects run until October 2024. 

On this page you’ll find information about the projects, details on how to get involved, and any updates we might provide while the research programme is underway.

The purpose of the He Paringa Tai is to:

• Develop a culturally appropriate and meaningful Hauora Strategy that reflects the health needs and aspirations of the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki community, aligning with our cultural values and goals.
• Involve and incorporate the input of our community into the development of the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Hauora Strategy, thereby enhancing Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki ownership and empowerment.
• Develop   the   Ngāi   Tai   ki   Tāmaki  Hauora Strategy   as   a   roadmap for   addressing the identified  health  needs  and  aspirations  of  the  iwi.  The strategy  will  serve  as  a guiding document for future health research and initiatives within the iwi.
• Contribute  to  the  overall   well-being  and health  outcomes  of  Ngāi   Tai   ki  Tāmaki by addressing health needs in a culturally appropriate and meaningful way, promoting positive health outcomes and fostering iwi resilience.

To do this, we will be holding two Wānanga in 2024 to provide Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki members the opportunity to contribute to and inform the development of a Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Hauora Strategy.

The first of these wānanga is scheduled for May 2024 and we will be sending out invitations to iwi members closer to the time. We anticipate the second wānanga will be held in the second half of 2024 and will be providing updates on this as the project progresses.

The purpose of the He Timunga Tai is to:

• Identify the current health and wellbeing needs of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki iwi members and explore the potential of traditional and cultural practices in addressing these needs.
  
• Evaluate the effectiveness of existing health and wellbeing services and programs in meeting the needs of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki iwi members.
  
• Develop recommendations for improving health and wellbeing services and programs for Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki iwi members, based on the research findings and iwi feedback.

To do this, we will be seeking the views and experiences of iwi members in a couple of ways. 

In early 2024 we will be conducting an iwi-wide Hauora Survey, to continue to develop the broad understanding of the health and wellbeing of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki that we began developing with our first survey in 2021.

We will also be seeking to conduct in-depth interviews with iwi members towards the middle of 2024, in order to develop a richer understanding of the health needs and aspirations of our iwi. There will be options for both one-on-one interviews and group interviews. We will send out communications seeking people to interview closer to the time, which will provide more detail around what this will involve.

How to get involved

He Paringa Tai and He Timunga Tai are complementary, and both will provide iwi members with the opportunity to contribute to Ngāi Tai Whakaora.

If you want to register your interest in participating in any of the stages of Ngāi Tai Whakaora as outlined above, you can email admin@ngaitaitamaki.iwi.nz and we will discuss with you the best ways you can contribute.

We will also be sending out invitations to participate throughout the year, so make sure to keep an eye out for any communications from us. You can find a form to update your details at the link below if you want to make sure you continue to receive our communications.

Key contacts

A note on the project names