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February 21, 2025
Māori knowledge guides future pandemic responses
Atereano Mateariki
Posted On February 21, 2025
Download AudioA research project is using Māori experiences to help structure better pandemic responses.
Last month, during Rātana celebrations, Whiitiki Whakatika held wānanga at the pā, gathering stories and experiences from Māori, marae-based, and community-led pandemic responses based on mātauranga-ā-iwi.
Whiitiki Whakatika project lead Huirama Matatahi says the partnership with Te Niwha – The Infectious Diseases Research Platform legitimizes Māori knowledge in a scientific space, amplifying the voices of kuia, koroua, tāne, wāhine, and tamariki.
He says it is important to ensure the collected information is used in ways that align with community needs and aspirations.
“We’re pretty strict on ensuring that the outcomes are driven by the community, for the community, and so some of the insights that will come out of the kaupapa may only live with the community until a time that the community feels safe enough that the information that’s being shared is going to be shared in the right way, is going to be stored and saved in the right way into,” says Matatahi.
In August Whiitiki Whakatika will present findings to the National Iwi Chairs Forum, including recommendations for Iwi Māori as well as Local and Central Government consideration.
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