Historical and contemporary settingIn this special issue, the historical and contemporary setting which has hindered and aided Māori participation in aquatic management is discussed Hepi et al.

1. Indigenous people often manage natural environments and resources based on landscape features. Rights and management responsibilities that follow pathways of water from their source in alpine areas down and ultimately into and out to sea are common. Contemporary frameworks that seek to support management of the environment, ecosystems and resources from marine areas to alpine zones are not so connected. The EastOtago Taiāpure and Waikouaiti Mātaitai are Customary Protection Areas (CPAs) that connect from fresh water into the marine environment. These CPAs fall within the cultural landscape of Kāti Huirapa ki Puketeraki, the hapū (sub-tribe) of Ngāi Tahu, the iwi (tribe) who holds mana whenua (authority) over East Otago.CPAs may provide a way for iwi and hapū to manage a catchment as a whole, and to allow for traditional approaches to management within a contemporary legislative framework.3. Despite local successes in restoring habitat, changing legislation, gaining knowledge and building community support for change, fundamental issues remain.Members of the East Otago Taiāpure Committee reflect on the last 15 years of management and identify constraints and enablers of community-led management across inherently connected ecosystems using a kaupapa Māori approach. A compartmentalized view of connected ecosystems, complex legislation and government-focused processes emerge as issues that make even seemingly simple issues complicated for community managers.

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The indigenous development research agenda is centred on understanding and affecting social change. Kaupapa Māori theory (research theory and methodology that is uniquely Māori) and critical discourse analysis are two theoretical and methodological frameworks that can contribute to this broad agenda. The two frameworks are connected through critical theory, transdisciplinary approaches to research, tino rangatiratanga (chieftainship) and, most significantly, actualizing social change. As a Māori researcher I work alongside Māori communities and the process is non-linear and “messy”, which is the reality of working with communities. Kaupapa Māori theory provides me with the space for Māori-focused research within the academy, and critical discourse analysis is another tool I utilize to further the aspirations of the Māori communities I work alongside. In this paper I draw from an example of my research in Māori fisheries management to argue that critical discourse analysis offers researchers a framework that complements and strengthens the analysis within kaupapa Māori theory and methodology.

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Background The Aotearoa New Zealand population is ageing accompanied by health and social challenges including significant inequities that exist between Māori and non-Māori around poor ageing and health. Although historically kaumātua (elder Māori) faced a dominant society that failed to realise their full potential as they age, Māori culture has remained steadfast in upholding elders as cultural/community anchors. Yet, many of today’s kaumātua have experienced ‘cultural dissonance’ as the result of a hegemonic dominant culture subjugating an Indigenous culture, leading to generations of Indigenous peoples compelled or forced to dissociate with their culture. The present research project, Kaumātua Mana Motuhake Pōī (KMMP) comprises two interrelated projects that foreground dimensions of wellbeing within a holistic Te Ao Māori (Māori epistemology) view of wellbeing. Project 1 involves a tuakana-teina/peer educator model approach focused on increasing service access and utilisation to support kaumātua with the greatest health and social needs. Project 2 focuses on physical activity and cultural knowledge exchange (including te reo Māori--Māori language) through intergenerational models of learning. Methods Both projects have a consistent research design and common set of methods that coalesce around the emphasis on kaupapa kaumatua; research projects led by kaumātua and kaumātua providers that advance better life outcomes for kaumātua and their communities. The research design for each project is a mixed-methods, pre-test and two post-test, staggered design with 2–3 providers receiving the approach first and then 2–3 receiving it on a delayed basis. A pre-test (baseline) of all participants will be completed. The approach will then be implemented with the first providers. There will then be a follow-up data collection for all participants (post-test 1). The second providers will then implement the approach, which will be followed by a final data collection for all participants (post-test 2). Discussion Two specific outcomes are anticipated from this research; firstly, it is hoped that the research methodology provides a framework for how government agencies, researchers and relevant sector stakeholders can work with Māori communities. Secondly, the two individual projects will each produce a tangible approach that, it is anticipated, will be cost effective in enhancing kaumātua hauora and mana motuhake. Trial registration Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12620000316909). Registered 6 March 2020.

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