For hundreds of years, indigenous peoples have struggled to resist the imposition of Western, colonialist views of sexuality. Today, this tension continues as religious bodies attempt to impose a form of sexuality and sexual expression that derives from narrow fundamental interpretations of religious scripture. For the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, the struggle to resist this imposition has a long history, which continues today. This paper draws on historical accounts including oral histories, depictions of Maori sexuality that reside in art forms such as carvings and archival material in order to describe Maori sexuality as it was lived and experienced in pre-European times. More recent information from the Maori Sexuality Project is used to inform these historical records. Together, these historical and contemporary sources provide a view of Maori sexuality that contrasts strongly with the view espoused by some Christian churches. Our understanding of Maori sexuality indicates that Maori were traditionally accepting of sexual diversity and difference and sought to embrace these elements of sexuality rather than to exclude them. The implications of these findings for the sexual rights and health of indigenous peoples, as well as for the ongoing development of Maori communities, is discussed.

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Indigenous peoples in the 21st century colonial contexts face many challenges, not least of which is the struggle to retain cultural identity, beliefs, knowledge and traditions. While Western psychological theories offer insights into how identities are formed, there is a need for models of cultural reintegration and identity development that recognise colonial histories and realities and affirm indigenous aspirations. The purpose of this article is to explore how Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) negotiate Māori identities in the 21st century. Māori students and their family members were interviewed about their experiences at a state secondary school, and a thematic analysis of interviews was conducted to produce a framework of indigenous identity development. Within this framework, four identity states that correspond to stages in Māori creation narratives are identified, and the pōwhiri (Māori welcome ceremony) is used as a metaphor for Māori cultural reintegration and identity development. The Pōwhiri Identity Negotiation Framework incorporates factors central to indigenous identities, accommodates personal identity aspirations, reflects the dynamic nature of identities by allowing identity transitions to occur and affirms multiple identity positions.

This article explores the Indigenous principle of kaitiakitanga as it relates to Māori agrifood practices. Our discussion is based on interviews with a small cross-section of Māori in the agrifood sector whose practices are informed by a long-standing appreciation of the interconnected realities of lands, food, people and waterways. We consider how the shared Kaupapa Māori principles underpinning these food practices form part of a wider Kaupapa Māori land, water and food systems approach which we call “Kai Ora”. As is evident in the stories that follow, Kaupapa Māori values are practised in diverse ways by different kaitiaki food producers. For those who participate within any level of Māori food production, this kaupapa-based approach can lead to a range of connected outcomes, such as oranga, tātai hononga, tiaki taiao and ōhanga.

Te reo and mātauranga Māori are linked to a distinctive Māori identity and ways of being in the world. With the majority of Māori students enrolled in English-medium schools, we face the national challenge of how to affirm and promote reo and mātauranga Māori as part of the “everyday” in educational and community life, now and in the future. This article illustrates how educators in English-medium settings can deliberately affirm, support, and promote reo and mātauranga Māori in their learning processes and programmes. This is illustrated through an imaginative 2040 scenario for reo and mātauranga Māori learning in an English-medium school. While fictitious, the scenario is underpinned by our kaupapa Māori research findings, and the future-building ideas of educationalist Keri Facer. The 2040 scenario presents an ideal picture of what a holistic and “culturally responsive” English-medium school system can be. We encourage you to seriously consider the implications of this scenario, and how your school and community can be proactive supporters of reo and mātauranga revitalisation efforts by affirming ngā moemoeā (whānau aspirations), rangatiratanga (whānau authority and autonomy), and te reo rangatira (learning and maintenance of reo Māori). Our future vision is that intergenerational use of reo and mātauranga Māori positively contribute to Māori educational wellbeing. In this vision, the education system’s role will not be alone in the centre; rather, it will be linked to a host of community of players that are committed to seeing reo and mātauranga Māori survive and thrive evermore.