Ko Whetumatarau te maunga,
Ko Karakatuwhero te awa,
Ko Hinerupe te marae,
Ko Ngati Porou te iwi,
Ko Grace Irwin tōku ingoa.
I am incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to join the research team at Whakauae for a student summer scholarship 2021-2022.
This is my first time engaging in a kaupapa research project. I am so excited to have been accepted for this role and to contribute to high quality research that aims to transform Māori lives and create positive change.
I am currently a student studying towards a Masters of Nursing Practice in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and I am really passionate about health and wellbeing.
I grew up in Hawkes Bay, and I consider Te Tairawhiti as my home away from home. I have always loved going up to Gisborne where I am surrounded by whānau. I remember summer holidays as a child travelling further up the coast to our family farm in Te Araroa, and I have such happy memories there such as swimming in rivers and jumping off rocks into waterholes. Reflecting on it now, I recognise how fortunate I am to have such special places in Aotearoa to call home.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of having safe and healthy homes has been paramount. As part of Aotearoa's response to the pandemic, it has been assumed that the home is the safest place to be during lockdowns. However, Māori experience disparities in unsafe and unhealthy homes. Since my time at university, and particularly since studying Hauora Māori Health Development, I have come to further my understanding in the current and avoidable health inequities that exist today.
My studentship with Whakauae is exploring whānau conceptualisations of ‘home' related to connectedness, people, place, and space, and their influence on whānau members' needs for safety and wellbeing. The objective of the research project is to build knowledge about safe and healthy home environments for whānau Māori to flourish. This project aims to produce whānau-centred models, including safety and wellbeing resources for whānau to enhance safety and wellbeing at home and within their communities.
I look forward in taking these first steps alongside others in contributing to Māori research and development.
Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi - With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive. This whakatauki acknowledges the importance of community and collaboration. Everybody has something to offer, and by working together we can all prosper.
