Te Wāhi Whangai methodology: A nurturing space for storytelling, achievement and research

Te Wāhi Whangai (the nurturing space) is an innovative methodological approach informed by concepts rooted in a Māori worldview. Co-developed by a doctoral student, a kaiako raranga (weaving teacher), and a doctoral supervisory team, it integrates storytelling and healing into research within a therapeutic environment, addressing the necessity for culturally sustaining methodologies that invite wāhine (women) to openly share their stories. Developed for inquiry into wāhine’s experiences with substance use and their experiences during 6 months of a residential programme integrating parenting education with alcohol and drug treatment, Te Wāhi Whangai created a distinctive research environment within the treatment setting. The authors present concepts informing the development of Te Wāhi Whangai, including Kaupapa Māori, Mana Wāhine, Indigenous Storywork and Wānanga methodologies alongside design and conditions for application. Embracing a slower paced research environment, the methodology encourages participants to exercise agency in guiding conversations and envisioning the future to open possibilities for a different life. Its emphasis on cultural connection, doing while researching, and prioritising participant voices holds broader implications for Indigenous, Mana Wāhine (often referred to as Māori feminist discourses) and arts-based research methodologies, as well as other sensitive research settings.