From Thames To New Mexico: Gang-Affiliated Wāhine & Abuse In Care Research Goes Global

Scoop

29-04-2025

Press Release – Te Whariki Manawahine o Hauraki
The report shows what intersectionalities between culture and diverse abilities means, and how the act of institutionalisation (placing a person into care) reaches across these intersectionalities and targets them all in specific ways.
In a historic first, Te Whāriki Manawāhine O Hauraki from Thames is presenting two groundbreaking research projects at the prestigious International Network of Indigenous Health, Knowledge and Development (INIHKD) – Reclaiming Indigenous Ecologies of Love Conference in Albuquerque New Mexico tomorrow.
Their groundbreaking work challenges academic traditions and amplifies the voices of some of the most marginalised groups in the world: gang-affiliated wāhine and takatāpui (LGBTIQ+) whānau. It showcases the power of community research, ancestral healing practices, and tangible pathways to whānau transformation.
Te Whāriki is scheduled to present in the morning of Day Two of the conference, following the opening day featuring an esteemed lineup of PhDs and professors. The team, having travelled all the way from Thames, is proud to represent a grassroots, whānau-driven perspective on the international stage.
'We never imagined we'd even attend, let alone be moved into a prime slot,' said Paora Moyle, Director of Research for Te Whāriki Manawāhine O Hauraki. 'We submitted an abstract from a community perspective to push the boundaries — to practice what we preach about amplifying marginalised voices, not just theorise about it.'
This research isn't just another conference presentation. It is a direct challenge to the academic elite, and a rejection of the notion that knowledge can only be valid if it comes from an institution or a doctoral thesis.
Their approach stresses that without uplifting community voices — not just those with doctorates — the work of decolonising research falls short.
In a departure from conventional research methods, Te Whāriki is making space for whānau participants to speak for themselves at the international forum. Instead of relying on high-tech presentations, they'll use the power of spoken word and story as primary forms of knowledge sharing, centring voices that are often ignored.
The presentations highlight real stories from gang-affiliated wāhine and takatāpui whānau — people too often silenced or spoken about rather than with. Te Whāriki is supporting wāhine to present their pūrākau (stories) directly to academic audiences.
Paula Ormsby, leader of the Wāhine Toa Chapter of the Mongrel Mob Kingdom in Waikato, will take the stage to share how she is reclaiming her identity and healing intergenerational trauma, drawing on ancestral Māori knowledge passed down through the PouHine wānanga.
'The PouHine has saved my life. I used to carry all the trauma, the anger, the shame. Now I see I was never alone. My tūpuna were always with me, calling me home to myself,' she said.
The research methodology of Te Whāriki creates space for wāhine to document their own journeys, to share their insights in their own words, and to build solutions that make sense for their daily realities.
'We define who we are, not someone else,' Ormsby said. Referring to the fact that it isn't about outsiders coming in to 'fix' their lives. It's about wāhine Māori supporting wāhine, sharing knowledge, building strength together, and reclaiming their herstory and whakapapa.
Ormsby will present a selection of the initial findings through 'Ki ō Mātou Ake Kupu: Wāhine from Gang Whānau Healing Intergenerational Trauma through PouHine Wānanga.' The final report will be released in 2026that has documented their experiences and insights from their post-wānanga lives.
Te Whāriki CEO Denise Messiter, who co-designed the PouHine wānanga with her elders, will introduce Ormsby. The research showcases how wāhine from gang whānau are leading their own healing journeys, drawing on traditional ancestral practices. Importantly, it evaluates the wānanga as an effective, culturally grounded method for healing intergenerational trauma.
The PouHine wānanga uses ancestral sound techniques — beyond formal karanga — to reconnect wāhine Māori with their indigenous voice, empowering them to rewrite their own narratives.
'For us, this isn't a trend. We've been doing this work for 25–30 years, longer than many participants have even been alive,' said Messiter. 'Our method shows that Indigenous healing practices have real, measurable impact — and that they work across communities, regardless of whether you're a gang member or not.'
From left to right: Paula Ormsby, Paora Moyle and Denise Messiter (Photo/Supplied)
Moyle and Messiter will also present another research project, 'As A Kid I Always Knew Who I Was: Reclaiming Indigenous Systems of Care for Takatāpui, Rainbow, and MVPFAFF+ Communities.'
The report shows what intersectionalities between culture and diverse abilities means, and how the act of institutionalisation (placing a person into care) reaches across these intersectionalities and targets them all in specific ways.
This research, grounded in Moyle's lived experience as tākatāpui and survivor, exposes how New Zealand's child protection system operates through layered racism. It reveals how the system disproportionately removes tamariki Māori based on racist assumptions and excludes Māori — especially Takatāpui — from caregiving roles.
It highlights the experiences of Takatāpui, Rainbow, and MVPFAFF+ communities (Mahu, Vakasalewalewa, Palopa, Fa'afafine, Akava'ine, Fakafifine, and Fakaleiti/leiti), recognising identities specific to Pacific communities.
'The Royal Commission into Abuse in Care heard from many men, but the voices of wāhine were left out,' said Moyle. 'We are here to restore that balance. Reclaiming ecologies of love means loving our own enough to create space for them at the table, not just speaking for them.'
Prime Minister Rt Hon. Christopher Luxon with the report (Photo/Supplied)
Both presentations align strongly with the conference's themes of health, wellbeing, and Indigenous sovereignty, showcasing Te Whāriki's commitment to supporting community-led, Indigenous approaches to healing from historical trauma.
The International Network of Indigenous Health Knowledge and Development (INIHKD) is an esteemed committee of Indigenous health scholars, researchers, and practitioners from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Hawai'i, the United States, Canada, and Australia, all dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples.
The Te Whāriki team's appearance at the conference is underpinned by seven years of work supporting survivors of state care and developing grassroots research and housing initiatives.
Importantly, this marks the first time the Health Research Council (HRC) has funded a community-led initiative of this scale — a testament to the team's ability to deliver powerful, authentic storytelling.
The research was enabled through an HRC 'Emerging Researcher' grant awarded to Paora Moyle. It builds on findings from the Abuse in Care Royal Commission, which revealed that 80–90% of Māori gang members experienced abuse while in state care.
Te Whāriki's work doesn't stop at this conference. They are expanding their research, using Indigenous-led AI tools to map community networks during crises like Cyclone Gabrielle, and continuing to advocate for Indigenous-led housing solutions.
'This conference is about walking the talk,' Messiter said. 'If reclaiming Indigenous ecologies of love is truly the aim, then everyone — especially the most marginalised — must have a place on the stage.'
Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
Original url