The notion of “success” for Pasifika students in higher education remains contested given the socio-political agendas of education in New Zealand targeting Pasifika engagement. The motivation to increase academic achievement for Pasifika peoples stems from “tail-end” outcomes, in which Pasifika populations are compared with other demographic populations in the attainment of higher qualifications. Many institutional “success” strategies are initiated essentially from a deficit positioning, to respond to barriers of participation, and ensure academic progression and student completion.

This article provides insights into the ethnicity of academics employed by Aotearoa New Zealand’s eight universities, with a particular focus on Māori academics. We show that, despite values espoused by universities in terms of diversity and within their equity policies regarding Māori staff, there has been no progress in increasing the Māori academic workforce. Māori academics were severely under-represented at universities between 2012 and 2017, comprising approximately 5% of the total academic workforce.

This paper outlines key categories and elements of Kia Manawanui: Kaupapa Māori Film Theoretical Framework, developed to interrogate film texts and shed light on the processes of Māori film production and environments within which filmmakers operate. Kia Manawanui film theory is informed by diverse expressions of Kaupapa Māori , Indigenous and critical media studies, discussions with Māori  filmmakers, theorists and film texts, particularly Ngati (1987), Mauri (1988) and Te Tangata Whai Rawa o Wēniti—The Māori  Merchant of Venice (2002).

Māori directly or indirectly experience disability at a higher rate than any other population group in Aotearoa New Zealand. Despite one in three Māori having some form of disability, Māori have less access to support and health and disability services. Currently, gaps exist in knowledge related to Māori and disability, and this is not helped by disabled Māori being excluded from health and disability policy and service planning forums. With regard to disability frameworks, the medical model and the social model are the predominant northern hemisphere approaches to working with disabled persons.

A number of studies demonstrate Māori receive a poorer standard of healthcare than Pākehā and other non-Māori in New Zealand. Implicit bias on the part of healthcare providers has been cited as a key contributor to health inequities internationally; however, the concept has not yet been explored in relation to Māori health. This paper addresses that research gap and describes a theoretical basis for further research on the role of bias for Māori health outcomes. Drawing from empirical research and theories formulated in social psychology, the paper considers the relevance of implicit bias, stereotyping and stereotype threat for Māori health outcomes.

The high rates of indigenous peoples exposed to traumatic experiences are exacerbated by the affects of historical trauma passed from generation to generation. Research exploring the individual and collective impact of this phenomenon is growing internationally. Yet little is known about Māori practices that facilitate healing from historical trauma. This article aims to analyse the affects of this trauma on Māori by exploring them in the context of the growing body of international historical trauma research. It then discusses how Māori defined well-being traditionally, and outlines the methods used to promote healing from trauma.

This article explores the development of Māori and Indigenous frameworks of resilience, considering the impact of engaging with largely State-led notions of resilience on Māori development. We highlight the closely linked notion of resistance, asserting the necessity of a fi rm political analysis from Indigenous researchers engaged in this discourse. One of the Indigenous criticisms of resilience theories is that by defi nition they assume an acceptance of responsibility for our position as disadvantaged individuals.

The Ngā Tohu o te Ora research project was developed to investigate outcomes associated with rongoā Māori, in order that this practice might enjoy increased support as a funded service. The primary aims were to: 1) identify wellness outcome measures used by traditional Māori healers; and 2) develop and test a framework of traditional Māori wellness outcome measures.

This paper explores the cultural interplay between Indigenous women from one geographic locality being on and within the locality of the women of another locality—in this case, Whakatāne, Aotearoa. The authors consider identity, gender and place within the processes of transformation and decolonisation. They argue that women need to be involved in ways that restore their power as women and ensure their rightful place. The authors draw on the female ancestor Wairaka and her courage to argue that Indigenous women need to respond, change and adapt to the places in which they live.