TIAKI

TIAKI (meaning ‘to care’) is a Kaupapa Māori research project that focuses on the lived experiences of Māori adults who have been imprisoned (in prisons either in New Zealand or overseas) and their whānau.

The Tiaki rangahau rōpū

TIAKI is a collaborative project led by Associate Professor Dr Paula Toko King (Te Rōpū Rangahau ā Eru Pōmare, University of Otago), Cheryl Davies (Tū Kotahi Māori Asthma Trust), and Associate Professor Dr Ruth Cunningham (University of Otago).

Podcast + ZINES

This six-episode series shares the process and findings of our rangahau, while interviewing national and international experts on health research, the harms of prisons, and in sharing research findings through the creative arts - including Theatre Marae and poetry.

Each episode of the podcast comes with a companion zine.

Listen to the podcast episodes, read the zines and to access a range of accessible formats.

OUT THE GATE

Out the Gate is Theatre Marae presented by Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu, is a theatrical conversation about incarceration in Aotearoa. Presented by an ensemble of over 16 performers and followed by a facilitated kōrerō Out the Gate asks questions and provides hope.

Learn More

Publications

Cunningham, R., King, P. T., Telfer, K., Crengle, S., Carr, J., Stanley, J., Gibb, S., & Robson, B. (2022).Mortality after release from incarceration in New Zealand by gender: A national record linkagestudy. SSM – Population Health, 20, 101274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101274

King, P. T., Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., McLeod, M., Harris, R., Davies, C., Cormack, D., Ingham, T.,Jones, B., Robson, B., Paki Paki, N., Baker, G., Tuari-Toma, B., Stairmand, J., Cole, M., Pehi, T., Carr, J.,Kemp, C., Chin, M. H., & Cunningham, R. (2025). The undercounting of Indigenous Māori imprisonedby the New Zealand carceral state: A national record study. Health & Justice, 13, 48.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-025-00355-3

King, P. T., Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., Davies, C., Robson, B., Crengle, S., Baker, G., Carr, J., PakiPaki, N., Pehi, T., Cole, M., Jones, B., Ingham, T., Stairmand, J., Tuari-Toma, B., Kemp, C., Chin, M. H., &Cunningham, R. (2025). Health in justice or health injustice? Indigenous Māori experiences ofprimary care following release from New Zealand prisons: A national record study. Social Science &Medicine, 384, 118543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118543

King, P. T., Paki Paki, N., Cormack, D., Davies, C., Timutimu, R., Baker, G., Ingham, T., Jones, B., Cole,M., & Kemp, C. (2026). Poipoia Te Kākano Kia Puāwai: The operationalisation of Māori DataSovereignty in Aotearoa – A scoping literature review. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand,56, e70029. https://doi.org/10.1002/snz2.70029