Te Pae Mahutonga and the measurement of community capital in regional Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Regionally, iwi and hapū have limited influence over structural changes such as population decline, proximity to labour markets and ageing, and to some extent economic cycles. However, there is still considerable value in thinking about how relevant indicators might point to the regeneration and overall well-being of Māori communities. In this paper we present an exploratory framework that links Durie’s Te Pae Mahutonga model of Māori well-being to the measurement of community capital. We use Te Pae Mahutonga as the basis for developing a number of key indicators for understanding Māori well-being in the regions and apply the framework and indicators to three regional settlements in Aotearoa New Zealand: Pōkeno, Huntly and Ōpōtiki.