Mason Durie
Massey university
1938
1904 MB ChB Otago University
1905 Medical Officer
1910 Medical officer in the Cook
Islands.
1912–13 Medical Officer Niue.
1949
1944
Really ancient voyages
Voyages made about
5000 years ago
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Similar demographic trends
Similar trends for disparities in health
Similar trends for incomes
Similar aspirations to retain culture
Similar approaches to hui, fono, gatherings
 Karakia
 Koha
 Kawa
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1946 Medical Research Council: Island
Territories Research Committee (Dr D McCarthy)
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1968 South Pacific Medical Research
Committee
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1990 HRC Pacific Health Research Committee
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2005 - first edition of the
Guidelines on Pacific Health
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2014 - second edition of the
HRC’s Pacific Health Research
Guidelines
To ensure that the research undertaken is beneficial and
does not harm, by informing, and empowering Pacific
peoples about health research within their own
communities, and their rights as research participants.
 To provide an ethical and operational guide for health
research to ensure that it is conducted in an appropriate
and effective manner … for Pacific peoples in New
Zealand.
 To provide a common template and shared vision on
Pacific health research for the various Pacific health
research stakeholders, including the HRC, researchers,
research participants, and Pacific communities.
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 Research that is
 Relevant
 Useful
 Uplifting
 Research that
 Endorses local aims
 Is solution focussed (rather than problem focussed)
 Allows for local participation and leadership
 Research processes and findings can be translated into:
 Policies
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Programmes
Capability building
Innovation
Sustainable benefits
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Whakapiri
Engagement
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Whakamarama
Enlightenment
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Whakamana
Empowerment
Engagement with Pasifika
communities is
a critical step in Pasifika research
• Church communities
• Ethnic communities
• Urban communities
Two markers for engagement
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Partners in research
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Alignment of priorities
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Community partners
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Allied Pasifika health partners
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Other Pasifika research partners
Partners share the research leadership
- different from research participants or
research ‘subjects’
Engagement
requires respect for
the culture of
community partners
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Language
Protocols
Time management
Faith
Leadership
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The research question should make sense to
the research partners
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Community priorities may not be the same as
researcher priorities
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When the research addresses a problem that
is high on the community agenda the
partnership is likely to be more fruitful
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Agreement about the ways in which the
research will be conducted and the outcomes
that might follow – for communities as well
as researchers
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Shared benefits and shared decision-making
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Recognition of community realities and
priorities
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Whakapiri
Engagement
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Whakamarama
Enlightenment
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Whakamana
Empowerment
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The research process should provide communities
and researchers with new models for learning as well
as objective approaches to problem solving
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Research findings should increase understanding and
knowledge, create a basis for addressing goals and
aspirations, and be capable of translation into action
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Two styles of research reporting should be
considered:
 prepared for academic publication and
 suitable for community consideration
Three Markers for Enlightenment
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Scientific credibility
 Enlightenment comes from empirical research
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Indigenous knowledge
 Enlightenment comes from the application of
methodologies derived from indigenous knowledge
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The Fono principle
 Enlightenment comes from group discussion around
research processes and findings
The Desired Outcome
Participant communities and researchers:
 will be wiser
 will have greater collective understanding
of their communities
 will have greater appreciation of science as
well as indigenous insights
 will be more aware of possibilities for the
future
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Whakapiri
Engagement
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Whakamarama
Enlightenment
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Whakamana
Empowerment
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Translational research offers research partners the
prospect of benefits aligned with their own
aspirations
‘Benefits’ might be personal, family, or community
benefits
‘aspirations’ can encompass economic, social,
cultural or environmental domains
Research also offers researchers the prospect of
increased academic credibility and career
advancement
Three Markers of Empowerment
Research that leads to:
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Inspiration
 When research inspires communities, the will to succeed
will be stronger
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Knowledge acquisition
 When research findings are owned by communities, the
new knowledge will enable progress to be made with
greater insight
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Affirmation
 Effective research upholds and strengthens identity,
culture, aspirations and leadership within Pacific
communities
The Desired Outcome
As a result of the research, communities
 will have increased motivation to address their
futures
 will be well informed (knowledge is power)
 will be stronger in themselves as Pacific peoples
in Aotearoa
Whakapiri - Engagement
 Partners in research
 Alignment of priorities
Whakamārama - Enlightenment
 Scientific credibility
 Indigenous knowledge
 Fono
Whakamana - Empowerment
 Inspiration
 Knowledge acquisition
 Affirmation
Tena koutou katoa
Whakapiri - Engagement
 Partners in research
 Alignment of priorities
Whakamārama - Enlightenment
 Scientific credibility
 Indigenous knowledge
 Fono
Whakamana - Empowerment
 Inspiration
 Knowledge acquisition
 Affirmation
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Partners for research
Alignment of priorities
Scientific credibility
Indigenous knowledge
Fono
Inspiration
Knowledge acquisition
Affirmation
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P artners for research
A lignment of priorities
S cientific credibility
I ndigenous knowledge
F ono
I nspiration
K nowledge acquisition
A ffirmation