Lay summary
Many Māori grow up not connected to their iwi or hapū and current statistics can struggle to define Māori identity in one consistent way as Māori identity is multidimensional (Kukutai, 2011). Identity research in Aoteroa paints a complex picture as there is a great diversity within Māori communities for how Māori identity is negotiatied (Herbert, 2011). Māori cultural identity is impacted by a range of sociocultural and political forces, often informed by colonisation (Houkamau, 2006). However, understanding Māori cultural identity is crucial for understanding Māori health.
The research questions this project seeks to explore are:
1) What are the barriers to connecting with whakapapa knowledge, hapū and iwi?
2) How does this affect Māori health and wellbeing?