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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.

Kia tōnui te reo Māori: Prosperous whānau, prosperous reo Māori, examines the

conditions that support the growth, use, and intergenerational transmission of te reo Māori across whānau and communities in Aotearoa. The project focuses on four interconnected areas: te reo o te kāinga-Māori language use in the home, the role of social and community relationships, effective language acquisition processes, and the development of practical resources to support reo Māori revitalisation.

Preliminary findings highlight that te reo o te kāinga, me te reo o te hapori is strongly influenced by a combination of factors. These include supportive whānau environments, access to Kaupapa-Māori education (an aspect highly limited in some hapori), strong social networks where te reo is normalised (including kaupapa that bring whānau with shared interests together), and opportunities to use the language in meaningful, low-pressure contexts. Our research also reinforces the importance of addressing broader structural conditions, such as economic stability, time availability, and experiences of racism, all of which continue to have an impact on prospective reo learners, active learners, and users of te reo.

Our early findings indicate that te reo tuku iho is most possible when whānau are supported not only with language learning tools, but also with strategies that strengthen relationships, reduce anxiety, and create sustainable language practices in everyday life. We also note the importance of friendships in helping to sustain te reo across contexts.

Since the arrival of visitors to Aotearoa, Māori have always been quick to assess and adapt language, technology and information. Contemporary society brings new languages, technology and information instantly to our fingertips. New pressures and demands can be a consequence of readily accessible knowledge. For all its advances, there are also disadvantages. For rangatahi, those with addictions and Māori whānau connections and wellbeing can be negatively affected.

This programme of research investigates examples of Māori approaches to social wellbeing. Through a series of research activities undertaken by the research team, a case study will emerge reflective of collaborative interactions with key stakeholder organisations. Utilising qualitative methods such as key informant, wānanga, hui, photo elicitation and go along interviews, the research is primed to capitalise on the collaborative relationships to affect national policy and regional service delivery.

Awardee: Uenukuterangihoka Jefferies (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngāti Awa, Te Whakatōhea), University of Auckland

This kaupapa Māori-informed study explores how fidgeting—small, repetitive movements often seen in people with wairangi ā-aronga (ADHD)—might be linked to patterns of brain activity and thinking. The research focuses on rangatahi and pakeke (16 years and older) in Tairāwhiti, with 40 participants: 20 with lived experience of wairangi ā-aronga and 20 neurotypical individuals, matched by age and gender.

Awardee: Mona-Lisa Wareka (Ngātiwai, Ngāti Rereahu), University of Waikato

This research aims towards facilitating transformative change by investigating the impacts and experiences Māori face under current cannabis laws, while examining opinions surrounding potential decriminalisation. This project is significant as it is the first of its kind in Aotearoa, and looks to challenge attitudes surrounding cannabis at an academic level.

Māori doctoral scholars often face significant challenges in universities dominated by Western academic traditions. These environments can clash with Māori cultural values and needs, reflecting colonial legacies that marginalise Indigenous knowledge and methodologies. To address these challenges, the Te Kupenga o MAI (MAI) programme was created in the late 1990s by Professor Graham Smith. This initiative supports Māori and Indigenous PhD students across Aotearoa New Zealand, providing mentorship, resources, and community connections grounded in Māori cultural values. MAI helps reduce isolation and creates culturally safe spaces for Māori scholars to succeed academically while maintaining their cultural identity.

This research focuses on understanding the long-term impact of the MAI programme by examining the experiences of recent Māori PhD graduates. It aims to explore their motivations, challenges, and the role MAI played in supporting them, as well as their career pathways and contributions to their communities after completing their studies. The findings will inform future efforts to support Māori doctoral scholars, ensuring they thrive in academia and contribute meaningfully to their whānau, hapū, iwi, and society.