In this dynamic seminar, leading academic and Māori cultural expert Professor Meihana Durie examines the pathways that contribute to flourishing and the revelation of Māori potential, exploring the catalysts that promote mauriora (flourishing vitality) and hauora (enhanced wellbeing) in ways that also forge greater capacity for manawaroa (endurance).

Regardless of whether your professional focus is promotion or prevention, healing or treatment, education or justice, teaching or learning, rehabilitation or social work, wellbeing is ultimately dependent upon the dynamic interaction of people with each other and with the wider cultural, social, economic and physical environments in which they live. This seminar will unpack ways in which Māori wellbeing is shaped by these combined forces, acting on the past and present experiences so that prospects of flourishing can be enhanced.

Some of the key concepts and topics that Professor Durie will discuss includes:

• Mauri Ora and Mauri Noho – states of flourishing and languishing.
• Kaupapa Māori - shaping kaupapa-informed practices that align to Māori realities and aspirations.
• Te Kore, Te Pō, Te Ao Mārama - the relevance of Māori development frameworks to modern practice, pedagogy & paradigms. How the two areas can come together to make a difference for Māori.
• Mana Motuhake - critical elements that contribute to and affirm Māori cultural identity.
• Kōrero Pūrākau - unpacking essential messages contained within Māori cultural narratives & how to incorporate and align those to practice.
• Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi – considerations & priorities for organisations & communities.
• Perspectives on Māori High Performance and the connect to Kaupapa, Tikanga and Kawa.
• Harnessing growth (tupu) and creativity (whaihanga) to promote puawaitanga (flourishing).
• Te mana o te whenua, te mana o te wai – tangata whenua worldviews & environmental priorities.
• Mana Rangatahi – empowering rangatahi through the emphasis on pūmanawa and pūkenga.
• He Huarahi Ora – applying the pōwhiri framework to guide educational, social, clinical and therapeutic encounters.

Māori cultural dimensions and narratives are threaded throughout the presentation to emphasise Te Ao Māori perspectives and Mātauranga Māori-centred practices in contemporary Aotearoa. This experiential workshop has been designed to be relevant to all professionals working in health, welfare, education, justice, housing, clinical, social, sporting and community settings.

Professor Meihana Durie (Rangitāne; Ngāti Kauwhata; Ngāti Porou; Rongo Whakaata; Ngāi Tahu) is Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori at Massey University and was previously Head of School, Te Pūtahi-a-Toi (School of Māori Knowledge) at Massey University. He has a teaching, research, leadership and development background in Māori Education, Māori Health, Mātauranga Māori, Te Reo Māori and Whānau Development. Meihana is a previous recipient of the Sir Peter Snell Doctoral Scholarship in Exercise Science and Public Health and the HRC Hohua Tutengaehe Postdoctoral Fellowship. He contributes to a range of Boards, Committees and Advisory Groups in areas including Māori Education, Health and Iwi Development and carries a range of leadership roles for his iwi of Rangitāne and Ngāti Kauwhata.