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Research Commons is the University of Waikato's open access research repository, housing research publications and theses produced by the University's staff and students.
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Publication Tapuwaekiwi tapuaeharuru taiharuru te whakatōhea toheraoa: Connecting to my iwi and reclamation of identity through endurance running grounded in iwi narratives and tikanga/culture.(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024)This thesis explores the intersection of endurance, whakapapa, and cultural reconnection through the lens of ultra-marathon running and Te Whakatōhea tīpuna pūrākau. By weaving together personal narratives, historical contexts, and contemporary athletic practices, this research examines the role of endurance sports as a pathway for cultural revitalisation and identity reclamation among Māori athletes. Endurance is a fundamental characteristic of Te Whakatōhea, embodied not only in the physical feats of long-distance running but also in the iwi's historical resilience through colonisation, raupatu, and cultural disconnection. This research positions ultra-marathon running as both a metaphor and a mechanism for reclaiming whakapapa, fostering well-being, and strengthening the connection between Māori athletes and te ao Māori. Drawing upon Kaupapa Māori methodology, qualitative research methods, and tikanga Māori principles, this research seeks to decolonise endurance sports by embedding iwi narratives, tikanga, and mana whenua engagement into the sport of ultra-running. A central aim of this research is to develop a culturally grounded framework that integrates Te Whakatōhea pūrākau and tikanga into ultra-marathon events. This framework envisions a race that traverses ancestral pathways, acknowledges the whenua and mana whenua, and fosters a culturally safe environment for Māori athletes. The research questions driving this thesis examine the historical endurance of Te Whakatōhea, the impact of colonisation on Māori participation in endurance sports, and the potential for tikanga to be embedded in ultra-marathon events. The findings of this research reveal that endurance is deeply woven into the whakapapa of Te Whakatōhea and that ultra-marathon running serves as a powerful means of reconnecting with iwi identity, whenua, and te ao Māori. Through interviews with Māori endurance athletes and an exploration of iwi narratives, this research highlights the transformative potential of culturally embedded endurance sports. Furthermore, the research identifies barriers to Māori participation in ultra-marathons, including historical disenfranchisement from traditional athletic spaces and the predominance of Pākehā worldviews in endurance sports. Addressing these barriers, this thesis proposes a tikanga-based model that seeks to attract greater Māori participation by integrating kaupapa Māori principles into the design, organisation, and execution of ultra-marathon events. This research is also a personal journey of endurance and reconnection, reflecting on my own whakapapa as a descendant of Te Whakatōhea and an ultra-marathon runner. Raised outside of the iwi rohe, my path of reclaiming identity through sport mirrors the broader themes of cultural endurance and revitalisation explored in this thesis. By engaging with iwi histories, participating in kaupapa Māori spaces, and embedding tikanga into my athletic practice, I have sought to bridge the gap between past and present, creating a future where Māori endurance athletes can thrive within a culturally affirming space. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the growing discourse on Indigenous endurance sports, cultural resilience, and decolonial approaches to athletic participation. It affirms that ultra-marathon running, when grounded in whakapapa and tikanga, has the potential to serve as a tool for cultural reconnection, healing, and identity reclamation for Māori athletes and Te Whakatōhea whānau.Publication Breaking barriers and empowering perspectives: Centering women's voices in the mongrel mob wāhine toa(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2025)Gang communities in Aotearoa New Zealand have traditionally been sites of masculinity where specific forms of 'maleness' - including resistance to authority, antisocial behaviour, and expressions of violence - are embraced, expressed, and enforced through various internal cultural norms and reactions to the outside world. The dominant narrative that informs public perceptions of New Zealand gangs is often centered on crime, poverty, and Indigeneity. Much less is known about the role of women in these communities, particularly as their voices have only recently emerged from one of the largest gang chapters in the country. This research, conducted in close collaboration with wāhine within the Mongrel Mob Kingdom's first female-only chapter, Mongrel Mob Wāhine Toa, uses a participatory action research approach with photovoice methodology. Drawing on the personal narratives of six wāhine, this study aims to better understand their perspectives and experiences of contributing to a fledgling movement that privileges women within a predominantly male-centered gang environment. Photovoice is used alongside semi-structured interviews to provide depth and breadth to the data, allowing the wāhine to visually and verbally express their experiences and perspectives. Themes include navigating marginality, empowerment, and resistance. The long-range goal of this work is to inform context-sensitive policies and interventions for wāhine in gangs in Aotearoa. By foregrounding the perspective of wāhine, this study contributes to breaking down barriers and reshaping discourses around women in gangs, with implications for well-being and empowerment.Item A multi-phase assessment for selecting an augmentative and alternative communication modality(Journal Article, Informa UK Limited, 2025)Children with autism, who have limited speech, are often candidates for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) modalities to learn basic mands. However, few studies have evaluated the assessment of AAC modalities. We report on the results of an evidenced-based multi-phase assessment, with a focus on choice as a foundational element, to evaluate modality selection, comparison, and acquisition for six children with autism. Assessment procedures involved using an indirect assessment that evaluated environments and the caregiver’s preference as a listener. The results of the indirect assessment informed the experimental evaluation of learner acquisition and preference for a modality. Findings indicate that the assessment process is relatively quick, the child participants did demonstrate a preference for a mand modality, and the child participants were able to meet mastery criteria for the use of the initial mand. Results point to a potentially useful approach for assessing AAC modalities for young children with autism.Item Waste to energy projects, the circular economy, and the law(Journal Article, LexisNexis, 2024-07)Two proposals for large waste-to-energy plants are under consideration and causing a great deal of debate. They will use the most common waste-to-energy (WTE) technology, disposing of waste by burning it in an incinerator to raise steam in a boiler, to generate electricity or supply heat for industrial processes. They employ elaborate equipment to reduce air pollution. The issues raised by WTE are significant; New Zealand is among the top waste producing nations in the OECD (3.2 tonnes of waste per capita per annum), and the worst for reuse and recycling: NZ Infrastructure Commission, Rautaki Hanganga o Aotearoa 2022-2052 New Zealand Infrastructure Strategy (2022) at 98. At the same time air pollution from combustion of different kinds already has significant adverse health impacts: Gerda Kuschel and others, Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand 2016 (2022); Stats NZ, “Health Impacts of Exposure to Human-Made Air Pollution” (2023). It seems useful to ask whether the current legal and policy framework for WTE projects is satisfactory.Publication “Mate Ni Vula”, “Masina”, “Vaʻine Fakahēʻaho”, “Eikura” Pacific sports women’s knowledge and experiences of menstruation(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2025-08)Pacific women's interest and participation in sports have increased rapidly throughout the decades. Recently, many have become competitive across a range of sports at regional, national, and international levels. Yet very little research is focused on Pacific sportswomen’s experiences, or how their cultural identities shape their performance, health, and well-being needs. This thesis focuses on Pacific sportswomen’s experiences of menstruation, and in so doing, makes an important contribution to both literature on Pacific sportswomen, and research on menstruation in sport. Research on sportswomen’s experiences of menstruation has grown significantly over recent years, but most of this research is conducted by white women on white sportswomen, with findings then generalized to all sportswomen. This thesis identifies a gap in literature, and the risks of excluding sportswomen’s cultural identities, practices, and values from research, policy, and practices focused on menstruation in sport. Adopting a Masi methodology, this project included three methods: a survey of 206 Pacific sportswomen; Talanoa sessions with 21 Fijian sportswomen, and interviews with 16 Pacific sportswomen living in Aotearoa New Zealand. This project aimed to listen to, learn from, and amplify sportswomen's experiences and their understandings of menstruation, cultural beliefs, and the taboos that influence their menstrual experiences. This is a thesis with publication; some chapters are published articles, and others are manuscripts undergoing review. First, the thesis systematically identifies the gap in the literature with a scoping review of research focused on menstruation in sport, that shows that % of research ignores women’s cultural or ethnic identities. This chapter identifies the need for more culturally responsive research methods and culturally safe practices from sports and health professionals working with sportswomen from diverse backgrounds. Following this, results from the survey are presented, highlighting the diversity of cultural knowledge and practices associated with menstruation across the Pacific the survey also reveals the different cultural stigmas, beliefs, taboos, traditions, menstrual health, and sports performance of elite Pacific sportswomen. The following two chapters focus on findings from Fijian sportswomen, and then Pacific sportswomen living in Aotearoa New Zealand, with both amplifying the voices and experiences of Pacific sportswomen and their challenges of gaining culturally informed menstrual health information and support in sporting environments. These chapters describe how culture intersects with gender and other key variables (i.e., socio-economic considerations), and how these influence sportswomen’s experiences of menstruation. Ultimately, this research makes an important contribution to research on menstruation in sport, highlighting the need for culturally responsive methodologies and approaches in research and practice. It provides new and current cultural knowledge that can be used to improve the health, performance, and social support structures for Pacific sportswomen. This knowledge can expand sports and health providers' understanding of Pacific sportswomen's culturally specific needs, knowledge, and values concerning menstruation. Finally, this research supports the development of sport in the Pacific by providing cultural knowledge on how to engage Pacific sportswomen in safe, respectful, and constructive conversations around menstruation in sport.
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