<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:12px"><em>Facilitator, Associate Professor Margaret Cargo with PhD student, Nora Parore</em></span></p>

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<p>In the lead up to Easter, Whakauae joined colleagues from the Health Services Research Centre (Victoria University) in a two-day w&#257;nanga at R&#257;t&#257; Marae. Organised by Dr Amohia Boulton, the w&#257;nanga focused on exploring the synergies between Indigenous theories and critical realist research approaches. Participants wanted to better understand what a realist approach might have to offer their HRC-funded project, <em>A Population Lens: Raranga t&#257;ngata, oranga t&#257;ngata: Integrated care for M&#257;ori health and wellbeing</em>. This project is one of five comprising the HRC-funded programme grant <em>Enhancing Primary Health Care Services to Improve Health in Aotearoa</em>, hosted by Victoria University of Wellington.</p>

<p>Associate Professor Margaret Cargo (Slovenian, Canadian), of the Centre for Research and Action in Public Health at the University of Canberra, facilitated the critical realist component of the workshop. A p&#333;whiri to welcome Margaret, along with Victoria University&rsquo;s Dr Kirsten Smiler (Te Wh&#257;nau-a-Kai, Te Aitanga-a-M&#257;haki, Rongowhakaata, Te Whakat&#333;hea), Nora Parore (Te Ati Awa), Dr Lynne Russell (K&#257;i Tahu, K&#257;ti Mamoe, Ng&#257;ti Kahungungu, Ng&#257;ti Porou) and Lynne&rsquo;s mokopuna, Mereana was led by Ng&#257;ti Hauiti kaumatua, Neville Lomax.</p>

<p>Dr Boulton is working with the Victoria University team on the fifth project in the programme grant however, together the M&#257;ori team are also contributing to the wider <em>Enhancing Primary Health Care Services</em> programme by bringing a M&#257;ori lens to the programme grant as a whole. Whilst the programme is taking a realist approach, the M&#257;ori research team are committed to ensuring kaupapa M&#257;ori theory and methodology inform programme work. Exploring ways of drawing on a realist approach, under the broader umbrella of kaupapa M&#257;ori theory and methodology, therefore inspired the two-day w&#257;nanga. Whakauae would like to thank Associate Professor Cargo for taking the time to facilitate our hui; the participants for their active and robust engagement with the kaupapa; and the hau kainga for once again hosting us so well throughout our two days.</p>
