Lay summary
The aims of this PhD project are: to investigate the Tairāwhiti (East Coast) philosophy of voyaging and to examine how the Tairāwhiti waka contributes to community health outcomes. As a result of the population make up the Tairāwhiti region has some of the highest deprivation levels, and therefore some of the greatest health burdens nationally. However recently the Tairāwhiti region has recently received a new 72 ft waka hourua (a double-hulled sailing vessel based in Tūranganui-ā-Kiwa, Gisborne) also named Tairāwhiti. Tairāwhiti waka will service the East Coast region with a vision of “providing life-changing experiences to enhance the educational, cultural, environmental, economic and social well-being of Tairāwhiti” (Tairāwhiti Voyaging Society, 2017). Therefore this proposed doctoral research will focus on Tairāwhiti waka as a vehicle for improving the health and well-being of all Tairāwhiti.