Vision Maatauranga and Te Ara Tika: Guidelines for Māori Research Ethics

Vision Maatauranga

• Vision Mātauranga is a science policy framework of the New Zealand government.
• It integrates western science with mātauranga Māori.
• The aim is to generate new opportunities in research, science, and technology by acknowledging both knowledge systems.
• The framework guides researchers in building and maintaining purposeful and mutually beneficial relationships with Māori.
• Vision Mātauranga seeks to unlock the innovation and science potential of Māori knowledge, resources, and people for the benefit of Aotearoa (New Zealand) environmentally, economically, socially, and culturally.

Core Themes

• Indigenous Innovation: Developing products, processes, systems, and services from Māori knowledge, resources, and people.
• Taiao: Achieving sustainability through understanding iwi (tribe) and hapū (sub-tribe) relationships with the environment.
• Hauora and Oranga: Providing better health and social well-being for Māori.
• Mātauranga: Exploring indigenous knowledge and research, science, and technology; developing a distinctive body of knowledge at the interface between indigenous and western knowledge.

Understanding and Applying Vision Maatauranga to Research

There are five levels of Māori engagement in research:

1. Māori-Centred Research:

   • A Māori-led project using a significant amount of mātauranga Māori (50%+), combined with science.
   • Kaupapa Māori research is a key focus.
   • Māori are primary end-users/supporters.
   • Typically collaborative or consultative, with direct input from Māori groups.
   • Often involves collaboration with Māori researchers or mentorship from Māori.
   • Aims to contribute to Māori aspirations and outcomes.

2. Kaupapa Māori Research:

   • Mātauranga Māori (80%+) is central to the project.
   • Research is centered in te ao Māori (the Māori world).
   • Connected to Māori principles.
   • Uses kaupapa Māori research methodologies.
   • Tē reo Māori (the Māori language) is often a central feature.
   • Key researchers have medium to high cultural fluency or knowledge of tikanga (protocols) and reo.
   • Generally led by a Māori researcher; non-indigenous researchers may conduct research under Māori guidance/mentorship.
   • High Māori participation.
   • Strongly contributes to Māori aspirations and outcomes, addressing Māori issues positively.

Te Ara Tika: Guidelines for Māori Research Ethics

• A framework for addressing Māori ethical issues in decision-making.
• Based on tikanga Māori (Māori protocols and practices).
• Aimed at researchers, ethics committee members, and those consulting on Māori ethical issues (local, regional, national, international).
• Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi (partnership, participation, protection) provide a framework for identifying Māori ethical issues.
  • Rights, roles, and responsibilities of researchers and Māori communities.
  • Contribution of research towards useful and relevant outcomes.
  • Addressing inequalities.
• All research in New Zealand is of interest to Māori, especially research involving Māori.

Tikanga

• Ethics is about values; ethical behavior reflects values.
• For Māori, ethics is about 'tikanga' which reflects values, beliefs, and worldview.
• Tikanga are locally specific practices that enhance relationships and preserve mana (justice and equity, reflected through power and authority).
• Tikanga adapt to new situations to provide context-specific responses.
• Kawa (protocol) and tikanga provide access to cultural knowledge for ethical deliberations.
• Tikanga provide a framework for Māori engagement with ethical issues and consideration of research's impact on their values or relationships.

Main Objectives of Te Ara Tika Framework

• Explain key ethical concepts for Māori.
• Support decision-making around Māori ethical issues.
• Identify ways to address Māori ethical concerns.
• Clarify the kaitiaki (guardian) roles of Māori ethics committee members.

Maori Ethical Framework

• Tika:
  • Research Design
  • Mainstream
  • Justice & Equity
• Mana:
  • Maori-centred
  • Kaupapa Maori
  • Rights Roles Responsibilities
• Whakapapa:
  • Relationships
  • Cultural & Social Responsibility

Whakapapa

• Whakapapa is used to explain the genesis and purpose of any kaupapa (topic/purpose).
• Whakapapa is an analytical tool for understanding relationships, monitoring their progress, and development over time.
• In ethics, whakapapa refers to the quality of relationships and the structures/processes supporting them.
• In research, the development and maintenance of meaningful relationships between researcher and research participant is crucial for evaluating ethical soundness.

Minimum Standard: Consultation

• Element of aroha (care) or aro ki te ha (awareness) acknowledging the environment.
• Aroha serves as a protective element, relating to the risks of research and mitigation strategies.

Consultation

• Ensures constructive critique of the proposed project and its potential impact on Māori.
• Provides an opportunity to consider the researcher's track record.
• Assists with developing clear information sheets, specifying sample usage, reporting results, and discussing research scope.

Good Practice: Engagement

• Encourages researchers to move beyond consultation to substantial and positive engagement with Māori communities.
• Ensures Māori participation aligns with their tūmanako (aspirations) and tangible benefits are derived.
• For Māori-centred research, cultural safety and research design are emphasized.

Best Practice: Kaitiaki

• Empowers Māori to take a kaitiaki role within the research project, ensuring tangible outcomes within Māori communities.
• A relationship displaying transparency, good faith, fairness, and truthfulness is captured in the concept of whakapono (hope).
• Research framed by tenets of kaupapa Māori requires clear evidence of transparently manifested implications across the application and supporting documents.