Ancestral Parenting: Reclaiming Māori Childrearing Practices in the Wake of Colonial Disruption

This article investigates the colonial disruption of Māori parenting practices and its enduring effects on Indigenous identity and belonging. It explores how colonisation imposed Western parenting models, disrupting communal caregiving, and severing connections to whakapapa (ancestry) and whenua (land). Grounded in Kaupapa Māori methodologies, this research highlights pre-colonial parenting, attachment, and child development practices, demonstrating their alignment with contemporary child development theories and their potential to address intergenerational trauma. Drawing on oral literature, archival records, and studies, this paper proposes a framework for restoring ancestral parenting principles. It emphasises the importance of these practices in rebuilding cultural confidence, enhancing child wellbeing, and strengthening whānau relationships. By integrating ancestral principles into trauma-informed care, attachment-based parenting models, and culturally affirming teaching, the article envisions pathways for healing and resilience in Māori communities, contributing to broader Indigenous resurgence.