The Australian Journal of Rural Health · 3 authors, 1 centre
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This opinion piece discusses the need for culturally responsive health research methods in New Zealand, comparing Western co-design with the Indigenous Māori method of mahitahi. It concludes that mahitahi should be preferred when designing services specifically for Māori communities.
The authors present an opinion piece discussing methodologies for conducting health research with Indigenous Māori communities in Aotearoa/New Zealand. They outline that the current health system is not culturally responsive and argue that co-design, a Western methodology, provides a platform for community voices. They describe mahitahi as a culturally responsive method grounded in a Māori worldview, highlighting synergies and key distinctions with co-design. The central conclusion is that while culturally centred co-design follows Western methodology and can be applied generally, mahitahi sits within a kaupapa Māori research space and should be the preferred method when designing services specifically for Māori. The authors note a limitation is the small pool of literature about mahitahi, as Western publication models may not capture community-focused knowledge dissemination. The implications are recommendations to guide researchers, health professionals, and policymakers to navigate between knowledge systems to improve health equity.
