About this research
Project Summary
Indigenous people will be more severely affected by global climate change than other populations. Despite increasing awareness of these inequities, national and global responses to climate change often fail to address issues of specific concern to Indigenous peoples and tend to overlook the potential contribution of Indigenous knowledges. Indigenous peoples’ knowledges are based on holistic and interdependent understandings of the environment and have the potential to inform action towards climate transformation.
The aim of this research was to provide understanding on how mātauranga Māori, as an Indigenous knowledge system, can transform climate health outcomes. We conducted a literature review to identify opportunities and challenges for including mātauranga to support climate health. Key informant interviews were undertaken with participants with experience in relevant initiatives to explore their experiences, reflections and aspirations. The findings help to develop understandings of how mātauranga can inform climate health action, which can provide valuable insights to support Indigenous-centred climate change mitigation and adaptation in Aotearoa.
This research enables the ongoing work of Climate Health Aotearoa (CHA), a multi-Institutional research group, in the development and implementation of collaborative research with tangata whenua into climate health recovery.
Research Question
How can mātauranga Māori transform climate health outcomes?
Lead Researcher
Dr Kenneth Taiapa, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, University of Otago
Research Team
Summer Wright, Ngāti Maniapoto, Massey University
Assoc Prof Bridgette Masters-Awatere, Te Rarawa, Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau, Ngāi Te Rangi, University of Waikato
Dr Christina McKerchar, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, University of Otago
Assoc Prof Rhys Jones, Ngāti Kahungunu, University of Auckland
Climate change disproportionately affects Indigenous communities across the globe. In Aotearoa, Māori face these inequities while also holding deep-rooted knowledge systems that offer powerful, holistic responses to environmental transformation.
Kairangahau · Researchers
Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere
Te Rarawa, Ngāi te Rangi, Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau
University of Waikato
Bridgette Masters-Awatere (Te Rarawa, Ngāi te Rangi, Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau) is a Professor in Te Kura Whatu Oho Mauri -…
Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere
Associate Professor Christina Mckerchar
Ngāti Kahungunu, Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou
University of Otago
Christina Mckerchar is of Ngāti Kahungunu, Tūhoe, and Ngāti Porou descent. She trained as a nutritionist and worked for…
Associate Professor Christina Mckerchar
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Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere
Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere
Bridgette Masters-Awatere (Te Rarawa, Ngāi te Rangi, Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau) is a Professor in Te Kura Whatu Oho Mauri - School of Psychology - in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences at the University of Waikato. In addition to her role as Director of the Community Psychology postgraduate programme for registration as a psychologist, she is the Director of the Māori & Psychology Research Unit. Both Directorships are situated within the School of Psychology. Bridgette trained as a psychologist, with a special interest in community and Indigenous wellbeing. Before joining…
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Kairangahau · Researchers
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Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere
Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere
Bridgette Masters-Awatere (Te Rarawa, Ngāi te Rangi, Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau) is a Professor in Te Kura Whatu Oho Mauri - School of Psychology - in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences at the University of Waikato. In addition to her role as Director of the Community Psychology postgraduate programme for registration as a psychologist, she is the Director of the Māori & Psychology Research Unit. Both Directorships are situated within the School of Psychology. Bridgette trained as a psychologist, with a special interest in community and Indigenous wellbeing. Before joining…
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Kairangahau · Researchers
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Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere
Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere
Bridgette Masters-Awatere (Te Rarawa, Ngāi te Rangi, Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau) is a Professor in Te Kura Whatu Oho Mauri - School of Psychology - in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences at the University of Waikato. In addition to her role as Director of the Community Psychology postgraduate programme for registration as a psychologist, she is the Director of the Māori & Psychology Research Unit. Both Directorships are situated within the School of Psychology. Bridgette trained as a psychologist, with a special interest in community and Indigenous wellbeing. Before joining… -
Associate Professor Donna Cormack
Associate Professor Donna Cormack
Dr Donna Cormack (Kai Tahu, Kāti Māmoe) is an Associate Professor at Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, University of Auckland.Donna is course director for the postgraduate papers MAORIHTH 710 Kaupapa Māori Theory, and MAORIHTH 709 Transformative Research for Māori Health, and co-convenes MAORIHTH711 Kaupapa Māori quantitative research. Donna teaches into other undergraduate and postgraduate papers in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. She is also an active member of Tōmaiora Research Centre within Te Kupenga Hauora Māori. Her research focuses on racism and other forms of oppression…