This commentary examines the widespread issue of mis- and missed diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with a particular focus on the disproportionate impact on Māori individuals and their whānau. Grounded in a Kaupapa Māori approach, this research integrates mātauranga Māori and lived experience to critically analyse the systemic barriers that prevent accurate identification and timely support for neurodivergent individuals.

This commentary explores how systemic inequities and homelessness, particularly among Māori in New Zealand, can be addressed through a public health approach that integrates Indigenous models of health. It emphasises the importance of considering broader social determinants of health, such as housing, income, education, and access to healthcare, in the design and delivery of public health interventions. Utilising the Te Whare Tapa Whā framework, a Māori model of health, this commentary illustrates how culturally responsive and holistic approaches can enhance the effectiveness of public health programmes.

Sāmoan cultural motifs are more visible than ever. These motifs carry stories of our ancestors as they navigated the vast moana in search of new lands. Those same ancestors created the tatau to store valuable information of our people. Now, Sāmoan people and culture are internationally visible throughout popular culture, from Hollywood superstars such as The Rock Dwayne Johnson to NFL legends Troy Polamalu and the movie Moana. As a result, debates have increased on who should be allowed and not allowed to wear the tatau. Interestingly, much of the tatau discourse is led by non-Sāmoan academics or Sāmoans who do not wear the tatau.

Client information and records should be a sacred taonga yet are often devalued and end up resembling a sudoku puzzle—where readers must fill in the gaps. Despite record-keeping being crucial to decision-making and service-users’ experiences, practitioners often are not taught how to keep good records (particularly in time-poor environments). This knowledge gap is then compounded by organisations not articulating a structure for their documentation or expounding how their values and cultural responsivity should be expressed.

Mātauranga Māori and mātauranga whakatere waka are fundamental to revitalising Indigenous communities, strengthening planning for climate change and resilience to climate change impacts. Despite concerns about the risks of climate change to contemporary voyaging, navigators are motivated by their responsibility to maintain and pass on their knowledge of voyaging practices, to raise environmental awareness and to advocate for the environment. Adaptation to climate change is already taking place, and navigators discuss their practice as a way of life.

This commentary explores the ways in which body sovereignty has been illustrated and supported in the sovereign space of Te Matatini (Ki Te Ao). It is suggested that the 2019 Te Matatini Ki Te Ao Kapa Haka Finals were a space that privileged Te Ao Māori and body sovereignty in multiple, intersecting ways. I propose that sovereign spaces such as Te Matatini provide an alternative illustration, discourse and narrative to current coloniality that restricts, limits and does not acknowledge body sovereignty.

The removal of a Māori child in May 2019 led to widespread protest and the launch of four inquiries into the Ministry for Children, plus an urgent inquiry through the Waitangi Tribunal. Tamariki Māori are over-represented in the child welfare system, but the issues are not just about the system itself. The legacy of colonisation continues to have an impact, not just on individual whānau, but also on the loss of tikanga in relation to whānau. It is the tikanga of whānau that many protesters seek to protect.

This paper explores an agenda for consumer behaviour research as it relates to tribal consumerism. It is argued that while the international consumer behaviour research field is inspired by Indigenous knowledges, the quality of research will be relatively poor and unconvincing unless Indigenous researchers and voices make their way into those conversations. We argue for greater plurality through Indigenous participation in consumer behaviour research, and we challenge business schools to realise their accountability.

How can waiata declare and perpetuate one’s belonging to place, to tūrangawaewae? Waiata are commonly performed at pōwhiri, following, and, in support of whaikōrero. Within this context, place is central to waiata. Its purpose is to complement the whaikōrero, ultimately expressing identity, broaching responsibility for, and the significance of place. Place in the form of tūrangawaewae, a place to stand, a purview of the use of language through waiata, contextualizes cultural identity through song.

Whiria ngā tangata: Weave the people together