Lay summary
This NKK full grant will iinvestigate Waikato-Tainui rangatahi wellbeing as a result of participation in a developmental voyaging programme which uses traditional navigation and tikanga values and processes. This programme is held aboard Haunui; a 22-metre, 16-berth, double-hulled, ocean-voyaging waka haurua based on traditional design specifications. Anecdotal reports suggest a strong shift by rangatahi away from institutional forms of connectedness to sports and cultural activities, which in-turn is suggested to increase wellbeing and health. The study will measure these reports, with the outcomes also informing Whakatupuranga Waikato-Tainui 2050, the tribe’s blueprint for cultural, social and economic development aimed at growth and self-determination.