Looking to kapa haka for heart health answers
Pūtahi Manawa Centre of Research Excellence believes the solutions to improving Māori heart health already exist within Māori communities. Its newest research grant will investigate one of those strengths: kapa haka.
The Te Korowai Pūtahi Manawa Kapa Haka and Cardiovascular Health Research Grant invites researchers to explore an area that has long been recognised by Māori communities but has rarely been measured through cardiovascular research.
The grant, worth up to $300,000, will support a Māori-led research project investigating how kapa haka contributes to cardiovascular health and wellbeing. While studies have shown that kapa haka strengthens cultural identity, social connection and overall wellbeing, surprisingly little research has examined its physical and physiological impacts, particularly in relation to heart health.
The idea for the grant came from Pūtahi Manawa's Māori governance, who identified kapa haka as an important gap in heart health research. With Te Matatini 2027 on the horizon, they recognised this as a unique opportunity to generate evidence that builds on one of Aotearoa's strongest expressions of te ao Māori.
Co-Director Māori at Pūtahi Manawa
"We strongly believe the solutions for better heart health for Māori lie within Māori communities," says Associate Professor Karen Brewer, Pūtahi Manawa Co-Director Māori. "Kapa haka is unapologetically Māori, and Māori already know it brings many benefits to health and wellbeing. This research gives us the opportunity to better understand and measure those outcomes in ways that can influence heart health practice."
The purpose of the grant is not to change kapa haka. Kapa will continue to thrive because of the communities that sustain it. Instead, the research aims to better understand and measure the cardiovascular benefits that participants may already be experiencing.
Matua Joe Pihema, Pou Tikanga at Pūtahi Manawa, says the grant is an opportunity to build evidence around one of te ao Māori's greatest strengths while contributing to the long-term goal of improving heart health equity for Māori.
"The grant will help facilitate research that establishes baseline heart health data for a kapa haka community while generating insights into the connection between kapa haka and cardiovascular health.
"To achieve our collective vision of heart health equity for Māori in Aotearoa, it's important to have this focused grant, as kapa haka is the most visible expression of Māori cultural revitalisation, with intergenerational whānau, hapū and iwi involvement."
Beyond contributing to our understanding of cardiovascular health, the resulting evidence could have significant implications for healthcare practice. As knowledge grows, participation in kapa haka could become recognised as part of approaches to improving heart health, potentially informing cardiac rehabilitation programmes or community-based initiatives that encourage culturally meaningful physical activity.
The grant also reflects the kaupapa of Te Korowai Pūtahi Manawa, supporting research that is grounded in Indigenous values, led by Māori, and connected to communities, with a clear pathway to improving heart health equity. The successful project will work alongside a kapa haka community to produce research that not only advances scientific knowledge but also has practical value for whānau and communities.
For generations, Māori communities have understood the value of kapa haka. This research aims to better understand how those strengths can also contribute to healthier hearts for future generations.
Find out more and apply: https://www.putahimanawa.ac.nz/our-research/funding-opportunities#te-korowai-putahi-manawa-kapa-haka-and-cardiovascular-health-research-grant
Assoc. Prof. Karen Brewer spoke to Waatea News about the grant. Listen to her interview here