Mana Ola Festival

A vibrant community festival designed to bring Pasifika people, kairangahau (researchers), health professionals, and the IUE whānau together in an engaging, welcoming, and culturally safe environment. Throughout the festival, researchers will offer interactive, hands-on experiences that allow our people to explore a range of health research, innovations, and technologies that could support the health and wellbeing of Pasifika aiga and communities.

The festival goes beyond learning new information or visiting exciting stalls. It introduces our people to the world of health research and technology while creating meaningful opportunities for our aiga to share their knowledge, lived experiences, priorities, and aspirations directly with researchers. This two-way exchange helps communities better understand how research can contribute to their wellbeing, while enabling researchers to learn what matters most to Pasifika people.

IUE has Māori and Pasifika Registered Nurses available to support participating groups by providing health checks, vision and hearing screening, and access to glasses at no cost where needed. These services help identify potential health concerns early and support our people to access appropriate information, advice, and follow-up care.

By engaging directly with health professionals and researchers, our people can ask questions, explore their interests, learn about emerging health technologies, and contribute their perspectives in a safe and supportive setting. Their voices can help researchers better understand which areas of research are culturally relevant, appropriate, and responsive to the needs of Pasifika communities.

Through shared learning, meaningful conversations, and reciprocal engagement, the festival aims to strengthen relationships between researchers and our communities. It ensures Pasifika perspectives help shape future research, services, and health technologies that reflect the realities, values, and aspirations of our people and contribute to healthier futures for our aiga.

Participants will strengthen their ability to apply a Te Tiriti lens to their work, embedding these principles into research planning, engagement processes, and organisational practice. Through practical discussion and reflection, the workshops examine how meaningful partnerships with Māori communities can be fostered, how Māori rights and aspirations can be upheld, and how culturally responsive approaches can contribute to more equitable outcomes.

The series also deepens participants' understanding of Māori data sovereignty and the governance of Māori data, providing practical tools and approaches that support accountability, participation, and shared decision-making. By translating principles into practice, participants will build the confidence and capability to create lasting, positive change within their organisations and alongside Māori communities.