Skip to main content
Rangahau · Doctoral thesis

Kia Manawanui, Kia Manawaroa! Exploring what keeps Māori Midwives in Lead Maternity Care practice in Aotearoa.

About this research

Awardee: Waimarie Onekawa (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine), Auckland University of Technology
 
In Aotearoa, Lead Maternity Care (LMC) Midwives provide most healthcare services for pregnant people. LMCs provide on-call services 24/7 and face long, unpredictable workdays. They often sacrifice time with their whānau to maintain their work lives. All midwives face challenges, but Māori face many additional obstacles. This research seeks to interview 10-15 Māori LMCs (current or former) to understand their motivations for working as LMCs and what keeps them in these roles.
 
This research aims to amplify the voices and experiences of current and former Māori Lead Maternity Carers (LMC) and to validate Māori ways of being, doing, and knowing. By exploring the experiences of Māori LMCs and understanding what motivates Māori to engage in LMC work, the sustainability of Māori in LMC roles will improve. This research also seeks to identify Māori-led solutions that are well-suited for Māori, enhancing recruitment and retention for Māori midwives. This research has been constructed through a Māori worldview, nestled within mātauranga Māori, and guided by Kaupapa Māori research frameworks to strengthen the approach.
 
Research Aims:
To speak to 10-15 Māori midwives currently working or who have previously worked as LMCs.
  • To capture experiences of Māori Midwives working in LMC practices in Aotearoa.
  • To explore what motivates and sustains Māori midwives to work as LMCs.
  • To identify themes that increase and/or decrease job satisfaction for Māori LMCs.
To identify opportunities to improve hauora and increase retention and recruitment for Māori LMCs

Ētahi atu · Other projects

Research Programme

21-24RP01He oranga whānau: mahi ngātahi: Whānau livelihoods within the context of work and Māori economies of wellbeing
Kaiārahi · Project lead Professor Chellie Spiller
Whare wānanga · Host University of Waikato
Matakitenga · Framework
Wā rangahau · Timeline Commenced 2022 · Completed 2025

He oranga whānau: mahi ngātahi: Whānau livelihoods within the context of work and Māori economies of wellbeing. These groundbreaking works celebrate Māori futures rooted in kaupapa Māori values while fostering pathways for responsible relationships, meaningful lives, and flourishing Indigenous wellbeing economies. By emphasising the central role of whānau…

View project

Internship project

21-22INT06Separatism, or sovereignty? Exploring social media and news media narratives of Maaori tino-rangatiratanga in politics and health
Whare wānanga · Host University of Waikato
Matakitenga · Framework
Wā rangahau · Timeline Commenced 2021 · Completed 2022

This internship analysed how race and racism are framed in New Zealand’s social and traditional media around key issues like constitutional reform and Māori health. Guided by a research team, the intern conducted manual content analysis to uncover overt and subtle expressions of racism.

View project

Doctoral thesis

22PHD10Te Kai Ora a Kāi Tahu: Conceptualising Kāi Tahu kai sovereignty and Māori nutrition data sovereignty
Whare wānanga · Host Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland
Matakitenga · Framework
Wā rangahau · Timeline Commenced 2021 · Completed 2024

This research explored how Kāi Tahu can strengthen control over kai systems, sources, and practices. By weaving together insights on Māori food and nutrition data sovereignty, it offers a foundation for future whānau- and hapori-led kai ora initiatives.

View project