Feeling and spirit: developing an indigenous wairua approach to research

Abstract

Wairua, a Maori (indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand) concept, somewhat restrictively translated as spirit or spirituality, resonates with many indigenous peoples globally. While spirit is recognised as an important human dimension, the denigration of non-western spiritual understandings means that indigenous peoples often choose to remain silent. Transferring these concerns to research approaches, we edit our voices, with a view to what we think will count as knowledge and what we choose to share with academic audiences. This article discusses the challenges we face when we enter into conversations about wairua and how this might be approached in research. With reference to emerging social science innovations in affect and emotion, the article draws on audio visual recordings of people's experiences of significant national days in Aotearoa New Zealand. Issues of analysis and representation are explored, along with the potential of these methods to explicate feelings, emotions and spirit.

Introducing critical Tiriti policy analysis through a retrospective review of the New Zealand Primary Health Care Strategy

“…It may include karakia -prayer or incantation reflected in everyday cultural practice. It may entail connections to people, place and spirit (Moewaka Barnes et al, 2017) and may be seen as an example of the World Health Organization's (WHO, 1948) broad conception of health as 'not merely' the 'absence of disease'.…”

Te Hihiri: A process of coming to know

“…Utilising Te Hihiri process as a research tool keeps a researcher grounded in Indigenous wisdom, guided by ancestral knowledge and entrenched in spirit. This is of importance because, despite the widely held belief that spirit is an integral part of the Indigenous research paradigm (Cajete, 2000;Marsden, 2003;Meyer, 2008;Spiller et al, 2011), Barnes et al (2017) point out that "the academy struggles with questions about inclusion and exclusion, with defining or leaving unspecified (Elkins et al, 1988), usually resulting in mentioning but not placing spirit at the centre of research" (p. 314). Te Poihi Campbell also observes that intellectual inquiry necessitates a spiritual component.…”

Brushed under the carpet: Examining the complexities of participatory research

“…Ultimately, the challenge that participatory researchers face is the displacement of the centrality of traditional 'Western-influenced' ways of constructing knowledge in their research encounters. Barnes et al (2017) suggest that we should translate the cultural, social and spiritual concerns into methodological approaches for capturing 'non-Western' ways of knowing. They emphasize the importance of partnerships for acknowledging each other's cultural positionality, which can transcend the 'your/ my culture' dichotomy to creatively find ways to incorporate both.…”