Using uncomfortable conversations for deeper connections

“Mauri ora!” rang out across the marae atea at Turangawaewae, Aotearoa’s largest marae, as a huge circle of academics – recently awoken from a night in the wharenui and 24 hours of traditional Māori hospitality, karakia, language games and discussion – readied themselves for day two of Kairangahua Wānanga.

Inside the whare rūnanga and kimiora tables had been set up ready for the researchers to showcase their work to locals coming in for the day. On display was groundbreaking, leading edge research on the brain, lungs, heart, gut – and more.

But importantly the researchers, some from Aotearoa, some born elsewhere, were in a Māori space learning what it means to engage with Māori in health research. Learning about the discomfort on both sides and, hopefully, how to overcome it.

“Research is intimidating for Māori communities,” said guest speaker and former Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Manu). “Sometimes it can be daunting for people to engage with the detail of what you are doing. And it might be new and scary for you too. But it must be done.”

Organisation for the hui was led by Misty Edmonds (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāpuhi), who is the founder and chief executive of Iwi United Engaged, a kaupapa Māori-informed project execution company.

Edmonds talks about “uncomfortable conversations” when researchers approach their engagement with Māori participants with a focus on “the individual, the particular research project, the outcome, the statistics, and especially ‘the problem’.

“None of these things are a priority for Māori, or at least not in that order. Uncomfortable conversations come when that’s pointed out.

“I’ve had hundreds of those conversations.”

But the discomfort isn’t just on the tangata whenua side, Edmonds says. Tangata Tiriti researchers feel it too.

“What I’d like to achieve is there’s less fear of engaging with Māori; less fear of doing something wrong."

“I don’t think these researchers have ever had the opportunity to go to a space where Māori are taking care of them – where that’s their job," Edmonds says. "We are bringing [the academics] into our space, where we are guardians of that space, and then we make sure they can navigate through that space.”

Spending two days as manuhuri on the marae meant understanding the importance of customs and protocols, Edmonds says. For example, wearing black for the pōwhiri, or official welcome. The visitors also had to learn a number of waiata they could sing on the marae, and have their pepeha ready – off by heart and in te reo Māori.

“It’s about understanding that if I want to speak to someone I have to say who I am. A pepeha is not just a thing on a slide.”

Edmonds hopes Kairangahua Wānanga will become an annual or biannual event, involving new and experienced researchers in the medical or even other fields.

The same side of the table

Professor Merryn Tawhai, director of the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, said the fact a large proportion of academics at the institute had chosen to attend Kairangahau Wānanga speaks to an ongoing process of working alongside Iwi United Engaged on becoming more Māori-centric in research design, implementation and dissemination.

“It’s how we go about shaping our conversations with Māori participants. Instead of a westernised view – here is this information I need from you – it’s about drawing out from people what they actually need, what’s important to them, what are their cultural perspectives?”

Speaking outside the wharenui, Tawhai said she sees the hui as reinforcing the importance of co-creation in research and providing new opportunities for it.

But it’s just one step in a much longer relationship.

“These two days that we are here we’re not here to seek something, to get what we need for the next research grant. We are here to get to know each other, to build more trust on both sides of the partnership, and to develop enduring connections. Māori voices and perspectives need to be in the room when we are conceptualising and co-designing new medtech. This requires developing trusted relationships, which takes time.”

Having trust and relationships makes the uncomfortable conversations possible, Tawhai says.

“You are talking with somebody who is partnering with you, who is not on the opposite side of the table, but on the same side, to help us move forward.”

Nanaia Mahuta says medical research is critical, as long as the benefits flow back to communities. And that needs researchers to be comfortable in te ao Māori.

“It’s about knowing what the front door looks like, so you can go through the front door and have a cup of tea. We are hoping to create that.

“Turangawaewae is a special place.”