Ngā kaiwhakaako, whakapakari tinana me te hauora hinengaro Exercising Hauora: The contribution of Māori exercise professionals to wellbeing

Abstract

Māori exercise professionals are an understudied group in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The potential contributions Māori exercise professionals make towards hauora (wellbeing) have received little academic attention, despite substantial research highlighting a need for Māori hauora to be better supported. On the other hand, research has established the benefits of physical activity for Māori hauora, with evidence that Māori-led initiatives can be transformative at individual, local and community levels. Existing research has suggested that Māori exercise professionals make up 15% of the exercise industry and there is growing interest in Māori perspectives of sport and physical activity. The research presented in this thesis aimed to understand Māori exercise professionals and their experiences of exercise-related work. The research involved an exploratory and mixed methods approach, combining two studies and guided by kaupapa Māori methodology. Ninety Māori exercise professionals were surveyed in Study One, exploring the roles, skills and experiences of Māori in exercise-related work. A descriptive analysis was conducted in Part A finding that Māori fulfilled a broad array of exercise-related roles, drew on lived experience and cultural skills in their work and over half considered themselves health professionals. In Part B of Study One, a MANCOVA was conducted to analyse a subset of the data (N =37) who worked in ‘general’ exercise roles versus ‘Māori-specific’ exercise roles. Māori exercise professionals reported high levels of emotional sensitivity, hauora beliefs, awareness of hauora impacts and work satisfaction regardless of role type. Further, those in ‘Māori-specific’ exercise roles endorsed Māori identity factors and a heightened sense of reciprocity and responsibility in their work, compared with those in ‘general’ exercise roles. Study Two extended the findings of Study One through a reflexive thematic analysis of ten interviews conducted with different Māori exercise professionals across Aotearoa. The interviews aimed to gain insight into the knowledges different Māori exercise professionals used in their work and details about their lived experiences. The names, roles and tribal affiliations of participantcollaborators were revealed in the study, in recognition of Māori data sovereignty. The results of this study indicated that Māori exercise professionals possessed a variety of knowledge(s) including Māori knowledge, emotional knowledge and institutional knowledge. Results also showed that Māori exercise professionals applied Māori knowledge, demonstrated exercise as a by-product and connected with ancestors of past, present and future through exercise. Overall, the research presented in this thesis highlights the value of Māori exercise professionals and amplifies their experiences of exercise-related work. As a Māori exercise professional on the pathway towards becoming a Clinical Psychologist, this research is also presented as a reflection of my lived experiences and commitment towards hauora. The combined findings from the two studies raise questions for defining Māori exercise professionals, their work and qualifications. These learnings contribute to the expanding body of research that prioritises the perspectives of Māori exercise professionals and the ways in which hauora is theorised, applied and ‘exercised’.