He Matatika Māori: Māori and Ethical Review in Health Research
type: CreativeWork
description: Maori aspirations for a better future are inextricably linked to their health and well-being. Research is a central element of any strategy to ensure that the inequalities of today will not be experienced by Maori children of the future. Kaupapa Maori research has been at the forefront of the indigenous challenge to Western research practices which continue to frame Maori as the 'other' and victim blame by measuring differences to non-Maori and then attribute identified negative differences to Maori deficit. A kaupapa Maori framework validates Maori realities and enables the development of research processes that are based on a Maori worldview and endorse Maori values and beliefs. Proponents of distinctly Maori research methodologies have questioned the appropriateness of ethical review processes that are based on Western concepts of ethics that they contend are incongruent with Maori cultural values and beliefs. Maori ethical issues identified in the literature that arise from this interface have similarities with indigenous ethical themes of respect, control and reciprocity. This qualitative research study was based on a kaupapa Maori approach. The research addressed two main research questions: whether the current system of ethical review in New Zealand is responsive to Maori and how can tikanga Maior inform Maori research ethics. Primary data for this study was drawn from interviews with Maori members of ethics committees and analysed thematically. The major conclusion of this study was that the current ethical review process is limited in its responsiveness to Maori. The research found that Maori values were generally marginalised within ethical review processes that are based on universal ethics derived from a Western value base. A number of key ethical issues for Maori are not addressed appropriately within the current system of ethical review due to the limited parameters, in Maori terms, of the review process. It is essential that Maori issues and concerns …
abstract: Maori aspirations for a better future are inextricably linked to their health and well-being. Research is a central element of any strategy to ensure that the inequalities of today will not be experienced by Maori children of the future. Kaupapa Maori research has been at the forefront of the indigenous challenge to Western research practices which continue to frame Maori as the 'other' and victim blame by measuring differences to non-Maori and then attribute identified negative differences to Maori deficit. A kaupapa Maori framework validates Maori realities and enables the development of research processes that are based on a Maori worldview and endorse Maori values and beliefs. Proponents of distinctly Maori research methodologies have questioned the appropriateness of ethical review processes that are based on Western concepts of ethics that they contend are incongruent with Maori cultural values and beliefs. Maori ethical issues identified in the literature that arise from this interface have similarities with indigenous ethical themes of respect, control and reciprocity. This qualitative research study was based on a kaupapa Maori approach. The research addressed two main research questions: whether the current system of ethical review in New Zealand is responsive to Maori and how can tikanga Maior inform Maori research ethics. Primary data for this study was drawn from interviews with Maori members of ethics committees and analysed thematically. The major conclusion of this study was that the current ethical review process is limited in its responsiveness to Maori. The research found that Maori values were generally marginalised within ethical review processes that are based on universal ethics derived from a Western value base. A number of key ethical issues for Maori are not addressed appropriately within the current system of ethical review due to the limited parameters, in Maori terms, of the review process. It is essential that Maori issues and concerns …
author: Hudson, Maui
keywords: Maori (New Zealand people), Research, Methodology, Health and hygiene, Hauora, Kupu, Health Studies
date published: 2004
date modified: 2026-07-27T18:46:26Z
provider: AUT University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: AUT University