Whakapakari i te maia tikanga i roto i te kaupapa Māori: Strengthening tikanga practice with Māori survivors of sexual violence

This Master of Professional Practice research project explores how tikanga-based practice can be strengthened to support Māori survivors of sexual violence within a kaupapa Māori service context. Grounded in Kaupapa Māori theory and conducted at Te Puna Oranga, a Māori-led social service organisation, this study investigates how workforce development, strengthening practice, enhancing capability, and knowledge building intersect to foster culturally grounded, trauma-informed care. Sexual violence against Māori cannot be understood outside the context of colonisation, historical trauma, and intergenerational harm. Colonisation disrupted traditional systems of healing, accountability, and collective responsibility, contributing to contemporary inequities and the overrepresentation of Māori in sexual violence statistics. In response, kaupapa Māori frameworks offer pathways for healing rooted in whakapapa, wairua, whanaungatanga, and tikanga. This research examines how Māori practitioners (kaimahi) working with survivors draw upon these foundations to deliver culturally safe and effective support. Using a Kaupapa Māori research approach, the study engaged eight Māori practitioners through semi-structured interviews and wananga. Reflexive Thematic Analysis, guided by tikanga and Māori cultural logic, identified six interconnected themes: (1) Reclaiming Maoritanga and Identity through Practice; (2) Whanaungatanga and Collective Growth; (3) Embodying Kaupapa Māori Values in Action; (4) Colonisation Awareness and Decolonising Practice; (5) Reflection and Wananga as Tools for Growth; and (6) Lifelong Learning and Collective Transformation. These themes illustrate that strengthening tikanga practice is not a technical or linear process but a deeply relational and spiritual journey. Findings reveal that cultural confidence - grounded in identity, whakapapa, and tikanga - is central to effective practice. Kaimahi described Te Puna Oranga as a space where they could be unapologetically Māori, integrating karakia, waiata, pepeha, and tikanga processes into their professional roles. Collective reflection, tuakana-teina mentoring, and supervision were identified as critical mechanisms for developing capability and sustaining wellbeing in high-trauma environments. Rather than viewing professional development as individual skill acquisition, participants framed growth as collective uplift rooted in kotahitanga and mana motuhake. The study contributes to Māori-led sexual violence research by providing practitioner-centred insights into how kaupapa Māori principles function as a living trauma-informed framework. It affirms that healing for Māori survivors must restore mana, reconnect whakapapa, and nurture wairua. Organisational implications include the development of tikanga-based workforce tools such as a Kaupapa Māori Capability Framework, Reflective Wananga Toolkit, and Tuakana-Teina Succession Guide to formalise and sustain culturally grounded practice. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that strengthening tikanga practice strengthens Māori identity, practitioner resilience, and collective wellbeing. When Māori knowledge leads, healing becomes transformative - not only for survivors, but for practitioners, organisations, and communities. Tikanga emerges not merely as a framework for practice, but as a living pathway home - guiding ethical, relational, and decolonising approaches to care for present and future generations.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Professional Practice

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Otago Polytechnic

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Cassidy, Billie-Jean

• tikanga practice
• kaupapa Māori
• sexual violence
• mahi tukino
• social service
• indigenous

Statement dc:rights

• CC BY-NC-ND Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10652/7199

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10652/7199