title: Taonga maioha: (Born this way) The in-depth stories of three Māori, Pasifika, and Indigenous Queens

authors: Tamuera Ariki, Paikea

abstract: Who else has the right to define these, Queens? 

This thesis provides a vital platform for the voices of three Māori, Pasifika, and Indigenous Queens, allowing them to share their transformation stories in their own words. Their experiences and feelings about in their words “being born into the wrong bodies” highlight the complex realities of identity and the struggle for acceptance by others. 

These Queens are unified in their desire for dignity and respect. Dignity and respect underscore a fundamental human right. They seek recognition in all areas of their lives, from healthcare to education, housing, employment, and beyond. By articulating their needs, they advocate for themselves and all marginalized individuals, seeking fairness and understanding within systems that often overlook them. 

Focusing on their lived experiences is crucial for fostering empathy and promoting systemic change, as it brings attention to the disparities they face and the importance of inclusivity in society. By sharing their truths, these Queens contribute to a broader dialogue about identity, respect, and the pursuit of equality for all. 

This thesis aims to illuminate the transformation stories or pūrākau of ten Māori and Pasifika Queens, to foster understanding of their unique experiences. The focus on those who identify as wahine despite being born biologically male allows the reader to highlight the rich diversity of gender identity within these cultures and groups. 

The Māori Ethics Committee granted ethics approval for the study, thereby paving the way for the Queens to tell their stories or pūrākau from their truths and perspectives. 

Taonga Maioha details the in-depth transformation stories of three Māori-Pasifika Queens aged 60 plus, supported by a contextual and cultural analysis of their generation. The voices and stories of the Queens are central to this thesis. These stories are thematically analyzed to unpack the cultural and generational influences impacting their identities. The core identity constructs of whakapapa, tinana, hinengaro, and wairua are used to frame and organize their transformation stories according to their instructions. Above all, this thesis is anchored in their rights to define themselves on the premise that they have the mana to define themselves irrespective of others who define them from the sidelines of their lives. Their definitions are theirs alone. The storytellers call themselves Queen, Wahine, or women. This is based on the assertion that it is their right to be called a Queen. In certain contexts, they may refer to themselves as takatāpui and transgender for the sake of acceptance by others. This thesis is written to enhance the mana of the storytellers. These are their stories and their truths. 

The late Dame Georgina Beyer, was one of the original participants in this thesis. Many interviews were conducted with her. Instructed by Georgina before her passing to publish elements of her story as part of this thesis. Unfortunately, the Ethics Committee at Waikato University did not accept this due to her passing. Hence, the reason ‘First Lady’ was introduced, where Liz Roberts gives exclusive details of her change, both legally and physically.

text: Taonga maioha: (Born this way) The in-depth stories of three Māori, Pasifika, and Indigenous Queens Who else has the right to define these, Queens? 

This thesis provides a vital platform for the voices of three Māori, Pasifika, and Indigenous Queens, allowing them to share their transformation stories in their own words. Their experiences and feelings about in their words “being born into the wrong bodies” highlight the complex realities of identity and the struggle for acceptance by others. 

These Queens are unified in their desire for dignity and respect. Dignity and respect underscore a fundamental human right. They seek recognition in all areas of their lives, from healthcare to education, housing, employment, and beyond. By articulating their needs, they advocate for themselves and all marginalized individuals, seeking fairness and understanding within systems that often overlook them. 

Focusing on their lived experiences is crucial for fostering empathy and promoting systemic change, as it brings attention to the disparities they face and the importance of inclusivity in society. By sharing their truths, these Queens contribute to a broader dialogue about identity, respect, and the pursuit of equality for all. 

This thesis aims to illuminate the transformation stories or pūrākau of ten Māori and Pasifika Queens, to foster understanding of their unique experiences. The focus on those who identify as wahine despite being born biologically male allows the reader to highlight the rich diversity of gender identity within these cultures and groups. 

The Māori Ethics Committee granted ethics approval for the study, thereby paving the way for the Queens to tell their stories or pūrākau from their truths and perspectives. 

Taonga Maioha details the in-depth transformation stories of three Māori-Pasifika Queens aged 60 plus, supported by a contextual and cultural analysis of their generation. The voices and stories of the Queens are central to this thesis. These stories are thematically analyzed to unpack the cultural and generational influences impacting their identities. The core identity constructs of whakapapa, tinana, hinengaro, and wairua are used to frame and organize their transformation stories according to their instructions. Above all, this thesis is anchored in their rights to define themselves on the premise that they have the mana to define themselves irrespective of others who define them from the sidelines of their lives. Their definitions are theirs alone. The storytellers call themselves Queen, Wahine, or women. This is based on the assertion that it is their right to be called a Queen. In certain contexts, they may refer to themselves as takatāpui and transgender for the sake of acceptance by others. This thesis is written to enhance the mana of the storytellers. These are their stories and their truths. 

The late Dame Georgina Beyer, was one of the original participants in this thesis. Many interviews were conducted with her. Instructed by Georgina before her passing to publish elements of her story as part of this thesis. Unfortunately, the Ethics Committee at Waikato University did not accept this due to her passing. Hence, the reason ‘First Lady’ was introduced, where Liz Roberts gives exclusive details of her change, both legally and physically.

year: 2024

title: Precariat Māori households today

authors: Rua, Mohi

abstract: Aotearoa New Zealand is now the fifth most unequal economy in the OECD. To highlight the human cost of this situation, the concept of “the precariat” offers more informed and contextualised understandings of the situations of socio-economically marginalised people in Aotearoa. Significant societal and policy change is required for Māori whānau to be truly free from the cycle of precarity.

text: Precariat Māori households today Aotearoa New Zealand is now the fifth most unequal economy in the OECD. To highlight the human cost of this situation, the concept of “the precariat” offers more informed and contextualised understandings of the situations of socio-economically marginalised people in Aotearoa. Significant societal and policy change is required for Māori whānau to be truly free from the cycle of precarity.

year: 2019

title: Andisols of New Zealand and Australia.

authors: Lowe, David J.

subjects: Vitrands

abstract: During the Quaternary, much of central North Island, New Zealand, was repeatedly overwhelmed or modified by emplacement of ignimbrites and especially by multiple rhyolitic and andesitic tephra fallout deposits, and reworked derivatives, that successively mantled landsurfaces forming buried paleosols in multisequal profiles. Relatively thick proximal deposits buried and isolated antecedent soils, forming compound soil profiles, whereas relatively thin tephra fallout at medial and distal sites resulted in composite or aggrading profiles, their character determined by the interplay of upbuilding and topdown pedogenesis. Scoriaceous basaltic tephras erupted in northern North Island were locally distributed. Andisols, of the 'allophanic' type with andic soil properties dominated by short-range-order (SRO) clays rather than Al-humus complexes, cover ~32, 100 km²  and comprise about 12.5% of New Zealand soils. They consist of three groups : (1) 'Entic' Udands or Cryands occur on mainly andesitic eruptives <1000 years old near recently active volcanoes>(Tephric Recent Soils in New Zealand Soil Classification ; ~1200 km² , ~0.5%) ; (2) Vitrands occur in central-eastern North Island on glassy, rhyolitic pumiceous deposits mainly from the Taupo eruption c. 232 AD and the Kaharoa eruption c. 1314 AD (Pumice Soils ; ~17, 200 km² , ~6.5%) ; and (3) Udands occur typically on composite, multiple tephra deposits of varying ages in Taranaki (mainly andesitic tephras), King Country-western Waikato (mixed andesitic-rhyolitic), eastern Waikato-western Bay of Plenty-Coromandel (mainly rhyolitic), and Auckland-Northland (basaltic), the age span of sola increasing towards distal sites as constituent tephra layers become thinner and shallower (Allophanic Soils ; ~13, 700 km² , ~5.5%). Moisture and temperature regimes are mainly udic and mesic, thermic, or cryic. Udands are pre-eminent among New Zealand's most versatile, high-quality soils because they provide valuable soil ecosystem services including sorption, water storage and supply, natural fertility, and foundation support. Andisols are currently known only in the Mt Gambier area of southeast South Australia, and comprise ~85 km² (~0.001%) of Australian soils. Intraplate basaltic volcanoes at Mts Gambier and Schank erupted c. 5000 years ago and the resultant localised tephras contain both exotic crystalline material, derived from underlying limestone and calcareous dunes, and juvenile basaltic material. Sand fractions at Mt Gambier are dominated by exotic, silicic crystalline material (≥80%) and relatively little glass (<20%) but at Mt Schank unaltered Al-rich glass predominates (≥50%). Vitrixerands and Haploxerands with pHs 6.4-8.0 have been formed under xeric moisture and mesic temperature regimes (Andic, Chernic Tenosols in Australian Soil Classification). The parent mineralogies have influenced clay mineral formation : SRO clays at Mt Schank (up to 20% allophane, 7% ferrihydrite, fine-earth basis) are more abundant than at Mt Gambier (≤12% allophane, 4% ferrihydrite) because the glass at Mt Schank weathers more rapidly than the Al-poor crystalline material at Mt Gambier, releasing Al. Seasonal Si-leaching has also been influential: where leaching is sufficient to remove silica, and CaCO3 content is low (in upper soil horizons at Mt Gambier; in most horizons at Mt Schank), Al-rich allophane has formed ; where leaching is weak (intermediate horizons), Si-rich allophane and layer silicate minerals (but not halloysite) have formed; and where leaching barely occurs (in lowest horizons), smectite has formed. The Xerands are versatile soils.

text: Andisols of New Zealand and Australia. During the Quaternary, much of central North Island, New Zealand, was repeatedly overwhelmed or modified by emplacement of ignimbrites and especially by multiple rhyolitic and andesitic tephra fallout deposits, and reworked derivatives, that successively mantled landsurfaces forming buried paleosols in multisequal profiles. Relatively thick proximal deposits buried and isolated antecedent soils, forming compound soil profiles, whereas relatively thin tephra fallout at medial and distal sites resulted in composite or aggrading profiles, their character determined by the interplay of upbuilding and topdown pedogenesis. Scoriaceous basaltic tephras erupted in northern North Island were locally distributed. Andisols, of the 'allophanic' type with andic soil properties dominated by short-range-order (SRO) clays rather than Al-humus complexes, cover ~32, 100 km²  and comprise about 12.5% of New Zealand soils. They consist of three groups : (1) 'Entic' Udands or Cryands occur on mainly andesitic eruptives <1000 years old near recently active volcanoes>(Tephric Recent Soils in New Zealand Soil Classification ; ~1200 km² , ~0.5%) ; (2) Vitrands occur in central-eastern North Island on glassy, rhyolitic pumiceous deposits mainly from the Taupo eruption c. 232 AD and the Kaharoa eruption c. 1314 AD (Pumice Soils ; ~17, 200 km² , ~6.5%) ; and (3) Udands occur typically on composite, multiple tephra deposits of varying ages in Taranaki (mainly andesitic tephras), King Country-western Waikato (mixed andesitic-rhyolitic), eastern Waikato-western Bay of Plenty-Coromandel (mainly rhyolitic), and Auckland-Northland (basaltic), the age span of sola increasing towards distal sites as constituent tephra layers become thinner and shallower (Allophanic Soils ; ~13, 700 km² , ~5.5%). Moisture and temperature regimes are mainly udic and mesic, thermic, or cryic. Udands are pre-eminent among New Zealand's most versatile, high-quality soils because they provide valuable soil ecosystem services including sorption, water storage and supply, natural fertility, and foundation support. Andisols are currently known only in the Mt Gambier area of southeast South Australia, and comprise ~85 km² (~0.001%) of Australian soils. Intraplate basaltic volcanoes at Mts Gambier and Schank erupted c. 5000 years ago and the resultant localised tephras contain both exotic crystalline material, derived from underlying limestone and calcareous dunes, and juvenile basaltic material. Sand fractions at Mt Gambier are dominated by exotic, silicic crystalline material (≥80%) and relatively little glass (<20%) but at Mt Schank unaltered Al-rich glass predominates (≥50%). Vitrixerands and Haploxerands with pHs 6.4-8.0 have been formed under xeric moisture and mesic temperature regimes (Andic, Chernic Tenosols in Australian Soil Classification). The parent mineralogies have influenced clay mineral formation : SRO clays at Mt Schank (up to 20% allophane, 7% ferrihydrite, fine-earth basis) are more abundant than at Mt Gambier (≤12% allophane, 4% ferrihydrite) because the glass at Mt Schank weathers more rapidly than the Al-poor crystalline material at Mt Gambier, releasing Al. Seasonal Si-leaching has also been influential: where leaching is sufficient to remove silica, and CaCO3 content is low (in upper soil horizons at Mt Gambier; in most horizons at Mt Schank), Al-rich allophane has formed ; where leaching is weak (intermediate horizons), Si-rich allophane and layer silicate minerals (but not halloysite) have formed; and where leaching barely occurs (in lowest horizons), smectite has formed. The Xerands are versatile soils.

year: 2005-01-01