Sport Psychology Consulting With Indigenous Athletes: The Case of New Zealand Maori

Sport psychology consulting with athletes who are from an indigenous ethnic group presents some challenges and opportunities that do not typically need to be considered when consulting with nonindigenous athletes. Maori(1) are the indigenous ethnic group of New Zealand. To work as a sport psychology consultant with Maori athletes and indeed any indigenous athletes (e.g., Tahitian, First Nation Canadian Indian) it is important for the sport psychologist to have an understanding of Te Ao o Nga Tangata Whenua (indigenous worldview) and tikanga Tangata Whenua (indigenous cultural practices; Hanrahan, 2004; Schinke & Hanrahan, 2009; Tuhiwai-Smith, 1999). Both research and practice in the social sciences regarding Maori people seek to use a Kaupapa Maori (Maori research and practice platform) approach. Kaupapa Maori attempts to ensure that cultural sensitivity is infused from the conceptualization of an intervention (e.g., psychological skills training, psychological intervention) through to the design, delivery, evaluation, final analysis, and presentation of the intervention or research project. A Kaupapa Maori approach to sport psychology consulting attempts to ensure that key Maori aspirations are honored and celebrated, as many Maori do not wish to follow a non-Maori ideology that depersonalizes the whanau (family) perspective and seeks individuality in its place (Durie, 1998a; Mead, 2003). Therefore, an effective sport psychology consulting program for an athlete who lives her or his life from a Te Ao Maori (Maori worldview) and tikanga Maori (Maori cultural practices) perspective needs to be constructed as a Maori-for-Maori intervention based within a Kaupapa Maori framework.