Whenua Ora; Tangata Ora

The critical role of Māori and Māori organisations before, during and after disasters is well-established. Recent examples of iwi and rūnanga-led response and recovery activities (such as following the Edgecumbe floods) have highlighted the significant Māori capability and capacity in rural Aotearoa.

This project is developing iwi-focused, strengths-based resilience research in the Bay of Plenty, based on authentic kaupapa Māori and mātauranga Māori principles.

Our research is being carried out in the following areas:

• Iwi and hapū-focused resilience case study
  This workstream is being co-developed with rural Bay of Plenty business Tane Mahuta, using the company as a case study of a best practice resilience initiative in the region. The case study will explore the role Tane Mahuta has played in supporting community psychosocial and socio-economic wellbeing through pastoral care, employment, and emergency management capability development in the cascading hazardscape of the Bay of Plenty. The key output from this project will take the form of a short documentary.
• Culturally relevant resilience resources
  In partnership with iwi, this workstream involves developing disaster risk reduction resources that are contextually and culturally relevant as well as informed by the principles of whānau ora, in order to enhance the resilience and recovery of rural Māori communities in the aftermath of disasters.
• Iwi and hapū-focused resilience analysis
  This workstream involves completing an iwi-focused resilience analysis of the Whakaari eruption that considers the Covid-19 context.

Our goal is to develop a deeper understanding of the risk and resilience strengths and vulnerabilities of rural Māori communities.