Te Manawaroa Me Whakakaha I Te Mātauranga O Ngā Tauira

To better address and understand Māori students’ retention rates at university, this thesis adopted a kaupapa Māori-inspired approach to explore the resilience strategies Māori students utilise for success. This was achieved through semi-structured interviews that incorporated the use of a novel cultural tool, the Whai Tikanga value card sort, which utilises Māori values to explore relevant topics. Twelve Māori students (age range: 18-44 years) participated in interviews that explored the challenges faced and the strengths used to navigate the university environment. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The results shed light on the continued challenges Māori students face in tertiary education, such as navigating cultural conflict, financial issues, and overcoming discouragement. Findings revealed several resilience strategies that Māori students utilise by drawing on personal, interpersonal, and institutional resources, such as family, friends, and a range of intrapersonal traits. These are discussed in relation to traditional Māori values, which emphasise the recognition of Māori concepts as important protective and motivational coping strategies. The research is significant not only because it highlights the challenges Māori students continue to face, but also, more importantly, because it identifies and elaborates resilient strategies for Māori success.