Over the last several months working with Whakauae and producing stories for the Tō mātou kāinga research project, a lot has been solidified for me. I have read and understood the whakaaro of our whānau when it comes to creating healthy home environments for Māori. The ideas and themes that the research has identified, and the stories birthed from these, resonate within me and I hope the mahi I have had a hand in does just the same. The themes of home being a person, kai being a staple in bringing our whānau together, and our strength as individuals and as a collective are not new ideas for us. However, I am excited to see the understanding of non-Māori, who read and engage with this research and these stories, begin to flourish with the ultimate aim of increased understanding contributing to improving circumstances for whānau.
I have grown as a writer and as a rangatahi, feeling a connection to those whose thoughts and opinions were expressed and shared. What I have learned from this experience is how much we, as Māori, long for the ability to care for ourselves and each other in similar ways to how our ancestors cared for one another. The lack of understanding of how and why being self-determining matters so much to us has also been highlighted for me. My hope is that the stories I have had the opportunity to produce will help progress that understanding and support whānau Māori in reaching for and achieving better outcomes for ourselves and each other. It has been an honour to work with this kaupapa and I am excited to see how a new approach to producing research data can work.
You can view the collection of stories about Māori perceptions of home here.
