21DSG21
Doctoral Thesis
Project commenced:Pita Shelford (Te Rararawa, Ngāpuhi), University of Waikato
My research is connected to an Ageing Well National Science Challenge funded project: Kaumatua mana motuhake (KMM): Kaumfltua managing life-transitions through tuakana-teinalpeer education (tuakana-teina pair conversations), which sought to address the mana motuhake of kaumatua within an urban, kaumatua governed and lead, community-based organisation: Rauawaawa Kaumatua Charitable Trust.
Initially, this PhD was to adapt the KMM project in my marae community, Mitimiti, receiving great interest. After an initial wananga in Mitimiti, evidently the PhD was going to be too big of a kaupapa for a small rural community. So, it was agreed (by the KMM team and whanau) that I would analysise a selection of the KMM conversations to honour the conversations, stories and relationships ofkaumatua, which KMM did not have the capacity to do so.
This PhD looks at communicational, cultural and relational dynamics that contribute to a successful Tuakana-teina peer-education programme that explores life transitions in later life among kaumatua.:
- How does the relationship of the pairs develop over the 3 conversations?
- What are the features of the tuakana conversation styles and how do they contribute to relationship development?
- what are the features of the teina narratives and how do they contribute to relationship development?