A purakau analysis of institutional barriers facing Maori occupational therapy students.

INTRODUCTION: Across Aotearoa (New Zealand), there are chronic shortages of qualified Maori (Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa) health practitioners and systemic ethnic health inequities. This study, focussing on the discipline of occupational therapy, explores Maori graduates' recollections of the institutional barriers that impacted on their study in this field over a 25-year period. METHODS: This qualitative study interviewed seven Maori occupational therapy graduates using purakau-an innovative Maori narrative inquiry method. Purakau (stories) were collected in 2018 via kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) semi-structured interviews. They were analysed using the kaupapa Maori (Maori philosophical) framework of Pu-Ra-Ka-U which draws on traditional Maori matauranga (knowledge). FINDINGS: The institutional barriers identified were (1) cultural dissonance, (2) cultural (in)competency and (3) the limitations of (Western) pastoral care. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted how racism is embedded within the Western tertiary education system. To create a safe learning environment for Maori students, tertiary education institutions require a planned approach to address racism within policy, procedures, the curriculum, teaching and professional staff.