title: Body Image Attitudes amongst Māori and Pakeha Females

authors: Ngamanu, Robert Errol

subjects: body image

abstract: Research has shown that body image plays a principle role in predicting the occurrence and extent of eating disordered symptomatology. The term 'body image' has multiple definitions but is most commonly used to refer to self-perceptions of body weight and shape. Evidence shows that Western socio-cultural beliefs encourage females to strive for an extremely thin, unrealistically small figure. The difficulties obtaining this  thin-ideal  have lead to the development of body image dissatisfaction (BID). Because the thin-ideal is a Western construct, BID was thought to effect only Western, White women, however, research shows that body image concerns and consequently eating pathology are appearing in non-Western, ethnic minority groups where they were once unknown. This has been attributed to increasing contact between ethnic minority groups and Western cultural mores. This would suggest that the degree of attachment a minority individual feels towards their ethnic identity is likely to moderate the development of BID and thus eating concerns. This thesis compared levels of body image dissatisfaction amongst ethnic groups in New Zealand, focussing particularly on Māori and Pakeha. No differences were found to exist amongst these groups with regards to body image dissatisfaction and eating pathology regardless of ethnic attachment. The information found has consequences for clinicians working with clients of Māori extraction and those researching body image dissatisfaction in New Zealand.

text: Body Image Attitudes amongst Māori and Pakeha Females Research has shown that body image plays a principle role in predicting the occurrence and extent of eating disordered symptomatology. The term 'body image' has multiple definitions but is most commonly used to refer to self-perceptions of body weight and shape. Evidence shows that Western socio-cultural beliefs encourage females to strive for an extremely thin, unrealistically small figure. The difficulties obtaining this  thin-ideal  have lead to the development of body image dissatisfaction (BID). Because the thin-ideal is a Western construct, BID was thought to effect only Western, White women, however, research shows that body image concerns and consequently eating pathology are appearing in non-Western, ethnic minority groups where they were once unknown. This has been attributed to increasing contact between ethnic minority groups and Western cultural mores. This would suggest that the degree of attachment a minority individual feels towards their ethnic identity is likely to moderate the development of BID and thus eating concerns. This thesis compared levels of body image dissatisfaction amongst ethnic groups in New Zealand, focussing particularly on Māori and Pakeha. No differences were found to exist amongst these groups with regards to body image dissatisfaction and eating pathology regardless of ethnic attachment. The information found has consequences for clinicians working with clients of Māori extraction and those researching body image dissatisfaction in New Zealand.

year: 2006

title: Visualising Mātauranga Māori for iwi outcomes

authors: Hudson, Maui

subjects: Mätauranga Mäori

abstract: Ko te Mätauranga Mäori he puna nö te katoa, he mea äta whakatipu hoki e ngä whänau, e ngä hapü, e ngä iwi hoki o tënä, o tënä o ngä whakareanga maha. He mätauranga nö te hapori, he mea äta whakatö hoki ki roto i ngä wheako o te ia rä, he mea kawe ki te pürakau, ki te waiata, ki ngä karangahanga whenua, ki te kani, ki te kawa, ki te whakapapa, ki te pümahara, ki te whakakitenga, ki te matakite, ki te whakaakoranga me te tohu pütake, hei tirohanga, ka mutu he mea äta ako mä te tirohanga, mä tängata kë atu ränei o te hapori. Tënei mea te Mätauranga Mäori, he pünaha whakatipu möhiohio, he nukurau, he nanakia anö hoki, kua hangä mai ki te mätauranga ä-whänau, ä-hapü, ä-iwi anö hoki.
Kei te whakatau tikanga, kei te whakamahere, kei te whakamahi hoki ëtahi hunga tangata i te Mätauranga Mäori, ka mutu kei tënä öna anö whaihuatanga. Ko te aho e whakakotahi nei i ngä röpü käwanatanga me ngä kaunihera ä-rohe, ko te whakaaro e hängai pü ana te mätauranga Mäori ki te Mäori, he mea whakahängai hoki, ka mutu he rerekë i tënä, i tënä o ngä rohe. Ki tä te nuinga o ngä hunga tangata, ko te whakapakarihia o ö rätou ake märamatanga ki te mätauranga Mäori tëtahi tino whäinga ä-rautaki, kei reira hoki he äwhina i te ärahi whakataunga, i te whakahaerenga, i te tikanga mätai anö hoki, me te takoha atu ki te nanakia e taea nei e te mätauranga Mäori, kia waihangatia mai ai he tatauranga tika mä tënei whakareanga.
He maha ngä kauwaka e kawe atu nei i tënei mea i te Mätauranga Mäori. E körero nei ngä mana whenua i ö rätou hiahia ki te whakamahinga o ngä taputapu wähi ä-nuku hei whakakitenga atu i te mätauranga Mäori i te taha o te raraunga pütaiao, kia tautokohia ai ngä whakataunga ki ngä hua ä-taiao nei. I tënei pepa, ka körerohia e mätou ko Takiwa, koia he Geo-spatial Visualisation Tool e whakatakoto nei i te papa whakatü mö Takiwa Lakes, e hängai nei ki ngä kaupapa wähi ä-nuku e toru. Kua whai hononga te taputapu ki ëtahi kaitiaki, e tika ai te horopaki, ngä kiko, me te whakahaere o te mätauranga Mäori i töna papa whakatü. He tino take ënei i tënei wä e aro pü nei ngä ohu tangata kia nui ake te whakamahinga o te mätauranga Mäori i ngä whakataunga. Ko te whäinga o ngä hononga kaitiaki ko te whakatinana ake i ngä mahere whakahaere mä roto anö i te whakamatihiko i ngä raraunga me ngä körero i ngä mahere, me te whakaatu i ërä i te taha o ngä raraunga pütaiao. E whakamana nei tënei papa whakatü i ngä mana whenua mä roto i te whakaatu i ngä tohunga pütaiao pënei me te kounga, te nui ränei o te wai (te wäwahi ränei) i roto i te horopaki o te raraunga mätauranga Mäori, pënei anö me ngä whenua hirahira ki te Mäori me ngä mahinga kai. Heoi, he take whakatü pihi te whakamahinga o te mätauranga Mäori i ëtahi wä, nö reira me whai whakaaro ki te whakangungu i te mana, i te tüturu, i te ngäkau tapatahi ä-ahurea nei anö hoki o ngä hapori ka whai wähi mai.
Mätauranga Mäori is the shared intellectual capital generated by whänau, hapü and iwi over multiple generations. It is community knowledge embedded in lived experience and carried in stories, song, place names, dance, ceremonies, genealogies, memories, visions, prophesies, teachings and original instructions, as learnt through observation and via other community members. Mätauranga Mäori is a dynamic, innovative, and generative system of knowledge constituted from mätauranga ä-whänau, mätauranga ä-hapü, and mätauranga ä-iwi.
Mätauranga Mäori is being defined, framed, and operationalised with varying success by a range of institutions. The general premise is that government agencies and regional councils acknowledge mätauranga Mäori as Mäori-specific knowledge that is adaptive and regionally distinct. For most institutions, improving their understanding of mätauranga Mäori is an important strategic aim that can help guide their decision-making, management, and monitoring procedures as well as contribute to the innovative potential of Mäori knowledge in order to create culturally appropriate data for this generation.
Mätauranga Mäori is transmitted through a number of mediums. Mana whenua are expressing interest in how geospatial tools can visualise mätauranga Mäori alongside science data to support decision-making for environmental outcomes. In this paper we discuss Takiwa, a geospatial visualisation tool that provides the platform for Takiwa Lakes, in relation to three geospatial initiatives. This tool has developed kaitiaki layers to provide an appropriate context, content and control of mätauranga Mäori within its platform. These are critical factors as agencies focus on increasing the use of mätauranga Mäori for decision-making. The aim of the kaitiaki layers is to bring iwi management plans to life by digitising the data and information within the plans and presenting them alongside scientific data. This platform empowers mana whenua by presenting scientific indicators such as water quality and quantity (e.g. allocation) within the context of mätauranga Mäori data such as sites of cultural significance and mahinga kai. However, the use of mätauranga Mäori can be a sensitive issue and it is important that consideration is given to protecting the cultural authority, cultural authenticity, and cultural integrity of the participating communities.

text: Visualising Mātauranga Māori for iwi outcomes Ko te Mätauranga Mäori he puna nö te katoa, he mea äta whakatipu hoki e ngä whänau, e ngä hapü, e ngä iwi hoki o tënä, o tënä o ngä whakareanga maha. He mätauranga nö te hapori, he mea äta whakatö hoki ki roto i ngä wheako o te ia rä, he mea kawe ki te pürakau, ki te waiata, ki ngä karangahanga whenua, ki te kani, ki te kawa, ki te whakapapa, ki te pümahara, ki te whakakitenga, ki te matakite, ki te whakaakoranga me te tohu pütake, hei tirohanga, ka mutu he mea äta ako mä te tirohanga, mä tängata kë atu ränei o te hapori. Tënei mea te Mätauranga Mäori, he pünaha whakatipu möhiohio, he nukurau, he nanakia anö hoki, kua hangä mai ki te mätauranga ä-whänau, ä-hapü, ä-iwi anö hoki.
Kei te whakatau tikanga, kei te whakamahere, kei te whakamahi hoki ëtahi hunga tangata i te Mätauranga Mäori, ka mutu kei tënä öna anö whaihuatanga. Ko te aho e whakakotahi nei i ngä röpü käwanatanga me ngä kaunihera ä-rohe, ko te whakaaro e hängai pü ana te mätauranga Mäori ki te Mäori, he mea whakahängai hoki, ka mutu he rerekë i tënä, i tënä o ngä rohe. Ki tä te nuinga o ngä hunga tangata, ko te whakapakarihia o ö rätou ake märamatanga ki te mätauranga Mäori tëtahi tino whäinga ä-rautaki, kei reira hoki he äwhina i te ärahi whakataunga, i te whakahaerenga, i te tikanga mätai anö hoki, me te takoha atu ki te nanakia e taea nei e te mätauranga Mäori, kia waihangatia mai ai he tatauranga tika mä tënei whakareanga.
He maha ngä kauwaka e kawe atu nei i tënei mea i te Mätauranga Mäori. E körero nei ngä mana whenua i ö rätou hiahia ki te whakamahinga o ngä taputapu wähi ä-nuku hei whakakitenga atu i te mätauranga Mäori i te taha o te raraunga pütaiao, kia tautokohia ai ngä whakataunga ki ngä hua ä-taiao nei. I tënei pepa, ka körerohia e mätou ko Takiwa, koia he Geo-spatial Visualisation Tool e whakatakoto nei i te papa whakatü mö Takiwa Lakes, e hängai nei ki ngä kaupapa wähi ä-nuku e toru. Kua whai hononga te taputapu ki ëtahi kaitiaki, e tika ai te horopaki, ngä kiko, me te whakahaere o te mätauranga Mäori i töna papa whakatü. He tino take ënei i tënei wä e aro pü nei ngä ohu tangata kia nui ake te whakamahinga o te mätauranga Mäori i ngä whakataunga. Ko te whäinga o ngä hononga kaitiaki ko te whakatinana ake i ngä mahere whakahaere mä roto anö i te whakamatihiko i ngä raraunga me ngä körero i ngä mahere, me te whakaatu i ërä i te taha o ngä raraunga pütaiao. E whakamana nei tënei papa whakatü i ngä mana whenua mä roto i te whakaatu i ngä tohunga pütaiao pënei me te kounga, te nui ränei o te wai (te wäwahi ränei) i roto i te horopaki o te raraunga mätauranga Mäori, pënei anö me ngä whenua hirahira ki te Mäori me ngä mahinga kai. Heoi, he take whakatü pihi te whakamahinga o te mätauranga Mäori i ëtahi wä, nö reira me whai whakaaro ki te whakangungu i te mana, i te tüturu, i te ngäkau tapatahi ä-ahurea nei anö hoki o ngä hapori ka whai wähi mai.
Mätauranga Mäori is the shared intellectual capital generated by whänau, hapü and iwi over multiple generations. It is community knowledge embedded in lived experience and carried in stories, song, place names, dance, ceremonies, genealogies, memories, visions, prophesies, teachings and original instructions, as learnt through observation and via other community members. Mätauranga Mäori is a dynamic, innovative, and generative system of knowledge constituted from mätauranga ä-whänau, mätauranga ä-hapü, and mätauranga ä-iwi.
Mätauranga Mäori is being defined, framed, and operationalised with varying success by a range of institutions. The general premise is that government agencies and regional councils acknowledge mätauranga Mäori as Mäori-specific knowledge that is adaptive and regionally distinct. For most institutions, improving their understanding of mätauranga Mäori is an important strategic aim that can help guide their decision-making, management, and monitoring procedures as well as contribute to the innovative potential of Mäori knowledge in order to create culturally appropriate data for this generation.
Mätauranga Mäori is transmitted through a number of mediums. Mana whenua are expressing interest in how geospatial tools can visualise mätauranga Mäori alongside science data to support decision-making for environmental outcomes. In this paper we discuss Takiwa, a geospatial visualisation tool that provides the platform for Takiwa Lakes, in relation to three geospatial initiatives. This tool has developed kaitiaki layers to provide an appropriate context, content and control of mätauranga Mäori within its platform. These are critical factors as agencies focus on increasing the use of mätauranga Mäori for decision-making. The aim of the kaitiaki layers is to bring iwi management plans to life by digitising the data and information within the plans and presenting them alongside scientific data. This platform empowers mana whenua by presenting scientific indicators such as water quality and quantity (e.g. allocation) within the context of mätauranga Mäori data such as sites of cultural significance and mahinga kai. However, the use of mätauranga Mäori can be a sensitive issue and it is important that consideration is given to protecting the cultural authority, cultural authenticity, and cultural integrity of the participating communities.

year: 2020

title: The digital lives of Muslim sportswomen: Navigating the spaces of sport, culture, and social media

authors: Ahmad, Nida

subjects: Muslim women

abstract: This research focuses on the multiple and diverse ways that Muslim sportswomen navigate a range of online spaces. In exploring the digital lives of Muslim sportswomen, this research moves beyond stereotypical representations and binaries (e.g., the hijab vs non-hijabi athlete). It also considers the broader context of ongoing racial, cultural, religious, and gender inequalities to recognise the complexities of Muslim sportswomen’s lived experiences and interactions with social media. Adopting an intersectional feminist approach, this thesis explores how Muslim women negotiate various dimensions of their identities (e.g., religion, ethnicity, nationality, culture, gender) within and across offline and online spaces.

Adopting a digital ethnographic approach, this research is informed by observations of the social media platforms of 26 Muslim sportswomen conducted over eight months. The primary platforms studied included Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Participants are from eight countries and participate in a wide range of sports (e.g., football, mountaineering, CrossFit, snowboarding). In-depth semi-structured interviews with the Muslim sportswomen provided further space for the women to share how they navigate various social media platforms to represent aspects of their sporting, social, and cultural identities. Findings are organised into three analysis chapters, each being informed by feminist theories on intersectionality. Chapter Four explores how Muslim sportswomen negotiate power and surveillance within and across the different digital platforms. Chapter Five examines the multifaceted digital practices of Muslim sportswomen, particularly their self-branding strategies, which they navigate in culturally specific ways. Chapter Six explores how Muslim sportswomen are ‘invading’ digital spaces and disrupting stereotypical discourses of Muslim women. These chapters expand current understandings of sportswomen’s use of social media, as well as contemporary understandings of the challenges and strategies of Muslim women living within and across online and offline worlds. Adopting a feminist intersectional analysis, this research offers new ways of thinking about and doing research in the interstitial spaces of Muslim women’s sporting and digital lives.

text: The digital lives of Muslim sportswomen: Navigating the spaces of sport, culture, and social media This research focuses on the multiple and diverse ways that Muslim sportswomen navigate a range of online spaces. In exploring the digital lives of Muslim sportswomen, this research moves beyond stereotypical representations and binaries (e.g., the hijab vs non-hijabi athlete). It also considers the broader context of ongoing racial, cultural, religious, and gender inequalities to recognise the complexities of Muslim sportswomen’s lived experiences and interactions with social media. Adopting an intersectional feminist approach, this thesis explores how Muslim women negotiate various dimensions of their identities (e.g., religion, ethnicity, nationality, culture, gender) within and across offline and online spaces.

Adopting a digital ethnographic approach, this research is informed by observations of the social media platforms of 26 Muslim sportswomen conducted over eight months. The primary platforms studied included Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Participants are from eight countries and participate in a wide range of sports (e.g., football, mountaineering, CrossFit, snowboarding). In-depth semi-structured interviews with the Muslim sportswomen provided further space for the women to share how they navigate various social media platforms to represent aspects of their sporting, social, and cultural identities. Findings are organised into three analysis chapters, each being informed by feminist theories on intersectionality. Chapter Four explores how Muslim sportswomen negotiate power and surveillance within and across the different digital platforms. Chapter Five examines the multifaceted digital practices of Muslim sportswomen, particularly their self-branding strategies, which they navigate in culturally specific ways. Chapter Six explores how Muslim sportswomen are ‘invading’ digital spaces and disrupting stereotypical discourses of Muslim women. These chapters expand current understandings of sportswomen’s use of social media, as well as contemporary understandings of the challenges and strategies of Muslim women living within and across online and offline worlds. Adopting a feminist intersectional analysis, this research offers new ways of thinking about and doing research in the interstitial spaces of Muslim women’s sporting and digital lives.

year: 2019