Dissemination of ancestral knowledge to improve children's health and wellbeing

‘Poipoia Ngā Tamariki – Nurturing our children’ brings to the fore successful values and practices of childrearing held within whānau, hapū and iwi for many generations. It focuses on the sharing of knowledge that supported the belief held by our tūpuna that our tamariki and mokopuna are treasured parts of whānau, hapū and iwi.

This project, led by Professor Leonie Pihama of Tu Tama Wahine o Taranaki, is grounded upon the Kaupapa Māori approach to ensuring the wellbeing of our tamariki. Kaupapa Māori provides us with particular ways of thinking about ideas and our practices that are informed by Māori cultural understandings that are grounded upon Māori knowledge and promotes positive strengths based cultural approaches and practices.

A key objective of the project is to inform the wider debate and activities that are currently at the fore of issues of wellbeing for tamariki.