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Takurua, Te Aho Turuturu - Maruaroa, Hongonui, Hongonoi 2026


In This Issue

1. Chairperson?s Update

2. Te Puni Kahurangi ? Hine-te-iwaiwa

3. Hui-?-Tau 2026 ki Te Tair?whiti

4. Leaders Forum and Te Korowai

5. W?hine, Ira T?ngata, and the Colonial Regulation of Our Bodies

6. Te Ara o Hine Tapu Ora

7. Future Midwives Aotearoa

8. M?ori Midwifery Research Grant 2026/27

9. The Inaugural Becky Fox Memorial Award

10. Becoming a Dad ? Now Live

11. Escalations of Care

12. Global Council of Indigenous Midwives 2027

13. Proudly celebrating Katarina Jean Te Huia

14. Kaunihera Kaum?tua Nominations

15. AGM Minutes & Trustee Elections

16. IWAIWA Commemorative Merch

17. NZCOM Nominated Ng? M?ia Board Member

18. Stay Connected

19. He Mihi ki a Lisa Kelly



1 Chairperson's Update


T?n? r? t?t?u

Hikohiko te uir?, pap? te whatitiri ki runga i ng? maunga m?tauranga o te motu. E koro m?, haere okioki atu r? koutou ng? manu kai miro. E Tamati, e H?rini, e Whatarangi koutou kua mene ki te p?, moe mai r? i te rangimarie, ka maumahara tonu m?tou kia a koutou.

Ko Puanga kei runga

Ko Puanga e Rangi

T?kina mai te ara o Puanganui-o-te-rangi

T?kina ng? pou o te tau

Ki te whai ao, ki te ao m?rama

Ka mahuta a Matariki i te pae

Ka puea i te taepaepatanga o te rangi

Nau mai whakatau mai te kaahui whetuu o te tau

Matariki hunga nui

Anana ? Matariki te maatahi o te tau!


T?n? r? t?tou,


This quarter has been another busy one, with mahi spanning Te Ara o Hine Tapu Ora, sector advocacy, governance partnerships, and workforce development initiatives.

The Executive continues to meet regularly to ensure deliverables such as ?konga resources and payments are distributed efficiently, contracts are monitored, and organisational priorities remain on track.


Our partnership discussions with NZCOM continue constructively as both organisations work to strengthen relationships and explore future opportunities with MFYP. We also acknowledge the ongoing contribution of Ng? M?ia representatives, especially our senior leaders, who sit across national advisory groups, governance forums, and workforce development initiatives. It is heartening to see M?ori influence across all levels of midwifery.


At Te Whare W?nanga o Awanui?rangi, internal accreditation processes for the Bachelor of Midwifery M?ori programme have unfortunately been delayed. While we await a formal response, it is difficult not to feel disappointed by another delay in progress. Despite this, the Ng? M?ia working group remains committed to resolving the issues affecting the programme?s establishment. I want to thank this passionate r?p? for its contribution over many years.


Ng? M?ia was represented at the International Confederation of Midwives Congress in Portugal, where opportunities for Indigenous collaboration and international relationship building continue to grow.

As always, we remain committed to advocating for M?ori wh?nau, M?ori midwives, and equitable maternity services throughout Aotearoa.


We look forward to gathering at the Te Ara o Hine Hui-?-Tau in Rotorua from 19?21 August, and again at the biennial Ng? M?ia Hui-?-Tau at Wh?ng?r? from 12?14 October 2026, where the official launch of our new name and tohu will take place.


Mauri ora,


Lisa Kelly

?Chairperson



2 Te Puni Kahurangi ? Hineteiwaiwa

After securing our three trademarks, we are delighted to confirm that our new name and tohu will be officially launched together at Hui-?-Tau in Te Tair?whiti this October. This will be a special moment to honour the past, acknowledge those who have contributed to the journey, and begin sharing more widely the k?rero that has shaped this direction. Ringatoi Stevei Houk?mau and wh?nau will join us on day one to share the creative expression of the tohu. Commemorative Merch will be available as pre-sales prior to the hui-?-tau and distributed to those that order and attend. 



3 Hui ? Tau 2026 ki Te Tair?whiti

Our biennial ?-kanohi Hui-?-Tau will be held at Whangar? Marae, Te Tair?whiti, from 12?14 October 2026. Te Tair?whiti have finalised an inspiring programme centred on Hine-te-iwaiwa. The hui will provide a rich opportunity to w?nanga the tikanga of our kaupapa. The Annual General Meeting will also form an important part of the programme.


Ng? M?ia Hui ? Tau 2026  REGISTER HERE

Registrations close on Wed 30th September 2026 





4 Leaders Forum and Te Korowai

The Ng? M?ia Leaders Forum brings together regional chairs, designated leaders, Ng? M?ia representatives, members of the operational team, and the Trust Chair to discuss current issues affecting Ng? M?ia and maternity services.


The forum strengthens communication, supports collaboration across regions, reduces isolation, and creates space to share practical solutions. It also provides an opportunity to consider how regional administration can move beyond colonial models of accountability and focus more strongly on mobilising r?p? resources for regional priorities.


The forum meets quarterly. The next hui will be held at 12 noon on 14 August 2026.


If you would like an invitation, wish to submit a regional report, or have an agenda item, please contact admin@ngamaiatrust.org 



5 W?hine, Ira T?ngata, and the Colonial Regulation of Our Bodies


Midwifery in Aotearoa exists within a history shaped by the enduring impacts of present day colonisation. As Ng? M?ia continues the work of restoring forgotten ceremonies and traditions, increasing attention is being given to how colonial systems reshaped our understanding of gender, bodies, sexuality, reproduction, and wh?nau structures.


Within Te Ao M?ori, w?hine was never solely a biological category or socially subordinate role. This was later constructed through Victorian and patriarchal colonial systems. Traditional M?ori understandings of humanity were grounded in whakapapa, wairua, mana, tapu, and relational balance with whenua and taiao. Human value was understood collectively through relationships to atua, wh?nau, hap?, and community rather than through rigid hierarchies or binary social roles designed to possess power and control over others.


M?ori repositories of knowledge, known as Whare W?nanga held p?r?kau, whakapapa, waiata, whakatauk?, karakia, and oral histories ? that all reflect these relational understandings of our humanity. Narratives relating to Hineahuone, Hine-nui-te-p?, Te Whare Tangata, and takat?pui reinforce the sacredness of whakapapa, reproduction and transformation across the life span. Within our traditions, wahine was not defined or confined by gender, nor through a patriarchal system. Our matrilineal system ensured a society of balance that valued and maintained our interdependence.


Contemporary M?ori and takat?pui scholarship has increasingly examined how colonisation disrupted M?ori understandings. The imposition of Christian morality, Victorian gender roles, patriarchal law, and Eurocentric family structures narrowed the far more expansive M?ori understandings of identity and belonging. M?ori birthing knowledge, communal care systems, bodily autonomy, spiritual practices, and takat?pui identities were progressively marginalised within settler systems designed to regulate and assimilate M?ori ways of life according to European norms.


M?ori recognise the ongoing policing of gender, sexuality, and bodies that continue to disproportionately harm both pregnant people, trans, non-binary, takat?pui, intersex, and gender-diverse communities here and abroad. These harms are not separate histories. They emerge from the same colonial structures that sought to regulate who could belong, whose bodies held legitimacy, whose relationships were recognised, and whose humanity would be protected under law.


The oppression experienced by M?ori and trans and gender-diverse communities is shared in the suppression of language, identity, and cultural expression; institutional discrimination and social stigma; exclusion from systems designed around dominant norms; inequitable access to safe healthcare and support; pressure to assimilate into colonial expectations of family, gender, and behaviour; and ongoing challenges to bodily autonomy, safety, dignity, and self-determination. For many M?ori who are also takat?pui, irawhiti, non-binary, or gender-diverse, these are not parallel struggles but intersecting lived realities shaped by the enduring impacts of colonisation.


These colonial legacies continue to shape healthcare systems today. Midwifery and maternity services have largely developed within a Western biomedical model that often assumes binary understandings of gender, family, and reproduction. While many wh?nau continue to experience affirming and culturally safe care, our trans, non-binary, takat?pui, intersex, and gender-diverse wh?nau continue to report experiences of exclusion, invisibility, stigma, and barriers to accessing safe healthcare. 


The Ng? M?ia leaders forum seeks to affirm the dignity, safety, and human rights of trans, non-binary, takat?pui, intersex, and gender-diverse people who are inseparable from the wider struggle for M?ori justice by developing our first M?t?pono - Consensus Statement. This work is not about the erasure of w?hine. Rather, it is part of the restoration of pre-existing human right to mana motuhake.


As midwifery continues to evolve within Aotearoa, we expect us all to take up the growing opportunity for respectful w?nanga regarding, how Hauora M?ori frameworks such as T?ranga Kaupapa can continue to uphold the mana, safety, and belonging of all wh?nau and pregnant people are experiencing health care. 


Tungane Kani 


This k?rero was submitted to Midwifery News and is informed by the work of M?ori, Indigenous, takat?pui, queer, and trans scholars including Dr Elizabeth Kerekere and emerging decolonising scholarship relating to Te Whare Takat?pui and trans health justice in Aotearoa. The piece was shortened significantly for the journal and was submitted to the Parliamentary Select Committee process in opposition to the Definition of a Woman Bill.



6. Te Ara o Hine Tapu Ora

Te Ara o Hine will welcome 86 ?konga and 25 kaimahi M?ori from across Aotearoa to attend its annual national gathering at Tangatarua Marae, Rotorua, from 19?21 August 2026. The hui is dedicated to nourishing ?konga through m?tauranga M?ori, hononga, whakawhanaungatanga, and tuakana?teina relationships and is an outcome of the programme as a whole.



7. Future Midwives Aotearoa


We're excited to share the launch of Future Midwives Aotearoa, a new national recruitment initiative powered by Te Ara ? Hine Tapu Ora and Ng? M?ia Trust to inspire and support more people to consider a career in midwifery.


The aim is simple: to create a single, welcoming place where prospective students can explore what it means to become a midwife, hear authentic stories from current students and recent graduates, learn about all study pathways, and connect with the schools of midwifery across Aotearoa.


Future Midwives Aotearoa is designed to complement?not replace?the excellent recruitment work already undertaken by each school. By providing a national entry point, we hope to increase awareness of midwifery as a career and connect prospective students with the programme and provider that best suits them.


Please show your support with a like, comment, share of content!


? Future Midwives Aotearoa App

? App: https://midwife-pathway-nz.base44.app

? Facebook: Future Midwives Aotearoa

? Instagram: @futuremidwivesaotearoa 


We also acknowledge former ?konga, now registered midwives, Sarah Richards and Dee Marie Harvey, and their wh?nau for their commitment to tautoko during graduation week. Alongside Crete and Rob, they participated in a series of recruitment videos that celebrated their success and acknowledged the support of Te Ara o Hine that helped them during the period they attained their qualification. Thank-you Sez and Dee for jumping at the chance to recognise the contributions of the five partner schools, national leads, liaisons, and ?konga who continue to strengthen and sustain Te Ara o Hine for future iterations.





8. M?ori Midwifery Research Grant 2026/27


Open for Applications!


The Ng? M?ia Trust is administering funds on behalf of NZCOM, and we are pleased to offer the M?ori Midwifery Research Grant to support Kaupapa M?ori midwifery research & its sharing across the profession. 


Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must:

- Be registered midwives

- Whakapapa M?ori (have M?ori ancestry)

- Completed research activity to share 

Application and Funding:

If you meet the eligibility criteria and wish to apply, please complete this form.   

The total annual funding pool is $10k. The Kahui Rangahau panel expects x5 recipients to be granted $2K, however this may vary depending on the number of applicants. 

Open from 1 July 2026 to 31 August 2026.

Important:

Recipients are required to share a brief summary of their research activities which will be included in the Ng? M?ia newsletter. (500 words max)


Applications will be reviewed by Ng? M?ia Te Kahui Rangahau in September 2026, and applicants will be notified of the results by 30 September 2026.



9. The Inaugural Becky Fox Memorial Award


This year all members that are attending and presenting at 12th Biennial Joan Donley Midwifery Research Forum, Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 September 2026, being held in Dunedin Town Hall ?tepoti | Dunedin, will also be selected for special recognition through a Becky Fox Memorial Award with a financial prize of $2000. This inaugural award will honour and acknowledge an outstanding contribution to m?tauranga M?ori within the scope of midwifery practice. The award will be presented in memory of Becky Fox in recognition of her enduring legacy and contribution to the advancement of M?ori midwifery. 



10. Becoming a Dad ? Now Live


Te Whatu Ora have launched Becoming a Dad, a new resource supporting fathers as they prepare for parenthood. Developed through the generosity of participating wh?nau and contributors, this resource highlights the important role of p?p? within the birthing journey and offers practical support for fathers, childbirth educators, and hap? w?nanga facilitators. We encourage members to share this resource through their networks.



11. Escalations of Care


The Escalations of Care project originates from the National Quality Forum Maternity forum 2023, as one of the priority recommendations to ?address variations of escalations of care?. As an ACC funded initiative, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora are working on a baseline assessment to develop a shared understanding of how escalation of care is experienced and delivered across maternity services, with a particular focus on equity, cultural safety, and outcomes for wh?nau.  The project brings together and analyses data, insights, and evidence from multiple agencies and sources to develop a shared understanding of variation in escalation of care across the maternity system.


Grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and informed by both quantitative and qualitative evidence, the project seeks to identify where inequities exist, understand their underlying drivers, and highlight opportunities for system improvement. By integrating multi-agency data with existing reports, consumer feedback, stakeholder insights, and the lived experiences and k?rero of wh?nau, the project will generate a comprehensive picture of how escalation of care pathways function across different settings, populations, and communities.


Central to this work is the recognition that culturally safe care is fundamental to equitable clinical outcomes. The project is committed to whakamana wh?nau voice by valuing and building upon the experiences already shared across the maternity system, rather than relying on repeated consultation. Through this approach, the project will honour existing contributions, reduce consultation fatigue, and ensure that the perspectives of those most affected by system variation remain central to understanding challenges and designing solutions.


The outcome will be a robust, evidence-informed foundation for actionable recommendations, identifying priority areas where improvements to escalation of care can strengthen system safety, reduce inequities, and support consistent, culturally safe, high-quality maternity care for all birthing women, p?pi, and wh?nau.


The project is fast paced, due to end in February 2027, and provides an opportunity to mahi tahi across agencies to enable tangible system change. As the Project Lead, I will be at hui a tau to k?rero with Kahu P?kai with the aim of weaving what matters most to wh?nau into the outcomes of the baseline assessment.  

 

Dani Gibbs (She/Her)

Ngai Tahu, Te Ati Awa

Clinical Programme Specialist- Maternity- Clinical Leadership

+64 27 849 5268 | dani.gibbs@tewhatuora.govt.nz

32 Oxford Terrace | Christchurch



12. Global Council of Indigenous Midwives 2027


Aotearoa has been invited to host the Global Council of Indigenous Midwives (GCIM) Gathering in Waikato in March 2027. This international gathering will bring together indigenous midwives, educators, researchers, birth workers and leaders from around the world to strengthen Indigenous birthing knowledge, workforce development and self-determination. Planning hui commenced in July 2026. Members interested in supporting the organising committee, hosting delegates, volunteering, or contributing to the event are encouraged to register their interest HERE.




13. Proudly celebrating Katarina Jean Te Huia


Ng? M?ia o T?kitimu proudly celebrates Katarina Jean Te Huia on the completion of her Doctorate through Te Whare W?nanga o Awanui?rangi. Her research, Revitalising M?tauranga Wahine M?ori Birth Knowledge, contributes significantly to the restoration and protection of traditional M?ori birthing knowledge and its relevance within contemporary maternity care. We congratulate Jean on this outstanding achievement and acknowledge her decades of service to wh?nau and M?ori midwifery.

Congratulations Jean!




14. Kaunihera Kaum?tua Nominations


The Trustees invite nominations for respected kaum?tua active within your r?p? willing to contribute to the Kaunihera Kaum?tua. The Kaunihera provides guidance, strategic insight, and support to the Trust Board and Trust activity, ensuring our work remains grounded in tikanga, whakapapa, m?tauranga M?ori and the aspirations of our wider wh?nau. Regional leaders are encouraged to submit nominations to admin@ngamaiatrust.org 




15. AGM Minutes & Trustee Elections


Thank you to all Ng? M?ia members who attended the online Hui ? Tau and AGM in September 2025. Members are invited to review the draft AGM minutes and submit any feedback or corrections to admin@ngamaiatrust.org by 30 August 2026.


Review the Draft AGM Minutes ? 12 September 2025


Two Trustee positions will also become vacant this year as current terms conclude. Nominations are now closed.  


The election will be conducted by internet voting from Monday 10th August to 5pm, Sunday 20th September 2026.  


Please note the following important details regarding these vacancies:



16. End of line merch


Our classic Ng? M?ia long-sleeve shirts remain available through the website in a range of sizes. The remaining end of line stock will not be reprinted, is therefore limited edition and available while supplies last. Remaining stock will be sold at Hui-?-tau in Tairawhiti.  



17. x2 Ng? M?ia Nominated Board Member positions


NZCOM has released its nominations for NZCOM board members which of course includes two Ng? M?ia Nominated Board Member positions. These are due before 31st August 2026. See link below to apply.


https://www.midwife.org.nz/news/apply-to-join-the-board-of-the-new-zealand-college-of-midwives 



18. Stay Connected


As our organisation continues to evolve, we encourage members to remain connected with their local r?p? and participate in regional w?nanga, gatherings, and opportunities for whakawhanaunga.


While the national office carries much of the administrative and contractual responsibility of the organisation, modern digital tools now allow us to maintain strong accountability and communication without requiring excessive time in formal executive-style meetings. It feels logical to now expect to see regional spaces increasingly focused on nourishing ourselves, you the member, through rich k?rero, collective learning, m?tauranga M?ori, and the sharing of experiences and solutions.


The majority of organisational updates, opportunities, and notices are shared through this p?nui, copies are located on our website. Social media channels are less utilised due to the current political climate. We encourage members to stay connected through these platforms to remain informed about developments across the motu.


If your region has stories, achievements, research, events, celebrations, or kaupapa you would like to share, we warmly invite you to bring them to the Leaders Forum or submit them for future editions of this p?nui.



Finally he mihi t?ku ki a Lisa Kelly


At Hui ? Tau in October 2026, Lisa Kelly will conclude her term as Chairperson and vacate her Trusteeship with Ng? M?ia Trust. Since this will be the last p?nui while Lisa continues to serve as Chair I wanted to take the opportunity to acknowledge her on behalf of the staff. Lisa's years of dedicated service to Ng? M?ia and leadership more broadly has been a reflection of Hinep?tehue "swallower of storms?. Throughout her tenure, Lisa has consistently championed tino rangatiratanga through the collective excellence of M?ori midwives, w?hine, p?pi, and wh?nau, helping guide the organisation through periods of challenge, rapid growth, and now transformation.


Her leadership can be characterised by her strategic thinking, an unwavering commitment to kaupapa M?ori, and the ongoing pursuit of equitable outcomes for our wh?nau - but for me it will be her consistency. Lisa is reliable, an open book and dedicated. Under her stewardship, Ng? M?ia has strengthened its national presence, deepened strategic partnerships, and supported the advancement of M?ori midwifery leadership, education and professional influence throughout Aotearoa. All this while creating space for regional growth and locality expressions of mana motuhake.


As Lisa steps away from our board to make herself more available for initiatives closer to home, we recognise that leadership is not measured solely by milestones achieved, but by the people supported, the relationships nurtured, and the foundations laid for those who follow.



E te mareikura, he poutokomanawa koe m?ku. Your leadership has been a steady and enduring presence throughout a significant chapter in the story of Ng? M?ia. 


We thank you for your courage, wisdom, and agility in balancing a busy LMC caseload and wh?nau while remaining fully engaged with the complexities of governance, strategy, advocacy, and organisational change. Your ability to absorb vast amounts of information, facilitate difficult discussions, and keep our collective focus on solutions will be a hard act to follow.


We wish you and your wh?nau every success, fulfilment, and happiness in the next chapter of your leadership journey.


Mauri ora



N? m?tou katoa o te whare kohanga o Ng? M?ia.


Ng? mihi nui,

Tamara Karu

General Manager

Ng? M?ia Trust