My Field Placement with Te Whānau o Waipareira - Part 1

By Sarah Wood, 2nd year MDP student
 

Views from Devonport

This summer (well, it’s winter here), I am completing my international field placement at Te Whānau o Waipareira, an urban Māori organization in West Auckland, Aotearora New Zealand. I am working with Wai- Research, the kaupapa Māori  research unit at Waipareira, which provides research and evidence to support Waipareira’s programs and services.

As for the specific projects I am involved with, one of the main activities I’m working on is writing a literature review on kaumatua (elders) ageing. In accordance with the population trends in Aotearoa New Zealand generally, the population of older Māori is increasing and I am exploring what is currently known about Māori ageing and what gaps and opportunities exist in the current literature pertaining to this growing population. Other research projects I’ve been involved with include assisting with ongoing research on Māori mental health as well as proofreading various Wai-Research publications.

Mission Bay on our first trip to the beach

Thus far, aside from the practical research and writing skills I’ve been honing, it has been incredibly valuable to learn about kaupapa Māori  research and the ways Māori  culture and language are incorporated into the organization more generally. As an Indigenous person, there has been a lot of opportunity to share our cultures and histories and gain deeper understandings of the strengths, challenges, and opportunities present in our different Indigenous communities.

Aside from placement, I’ve been enjoying getting to know Aotearoa. Fellow MDP student Paige and I have spent weekends in Rotorua, Wellington, climbing volcanoes and visiting every island in Auckland. 

Sarah Wood and Paige Sillaby at a rainy lookout in Wellington