Lily M George | Victoria University of Wellington (original) (raw)

Papers by Lily M George

Long ago, the people had homes. Different from the whales. (Don’t build your house on the back of... more Long ago, the people had homes. Different from the whales. (Don’t build your house on the back of a whale) SHIFTING SANDS,

This chapter examines the over-representation of Māori women in Aotearoa New Zealand prisons thro... more This chapter examines the over-representation of Māori women in Aotearoa New Zealand prisons through a postdoctoral research project, Ngā ara hou: New pathways toward whānau ora (family wellbeing) for Māori women with experiences of incarceration. Discussed are the changing ways in which Māori women have been perceived, moving from the powerful representations of womanhood articulated in our creation stories, to a diminished and devalued role in the new settler colonial society from the late nineteenth century. The impact of historical trauma has resulted in a multitude of negative responses, some of which have led Māori women on a pathway to prison. Two frameworks for rehabilitation and reintegration programmes are discussed—Te Piringa Poho (George and Ngamu) and Hokai Rangi (Department of Corrections). Discussion is made regarding the bravery needed in decolonisation projects which examine the past and contemporary circumstances, in order to secure more hopeful futures for our wom...

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2019

Objectives: Recreational physical activities of New Zealand women were examined to develop ethnic... more Objectives: Recreational physical activities of New Zealand women were examined to develop ethnic-specific suggestions encouraging physical activity (PA) participation as a targeted approach to reduce obesity rates among different groups. Methods: Healthy Māori, Pacific and European women (n=331; 16-45 years of age) completed an online Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire to assess recreational PA and adherence to PA guidelines. Existing PA preferences were tailored to make ethnic-specific suggestions aimed at increasing PA participation. Results: Achievement of PA guidelines was: Māori 74%; Pacific 60%; European 70%. Highest participation across all women was for walking (Māori 72%, Pacific 60%, European 83%), followed by floor exercise (Māori 54%, Pacific 37%, European 56%). Gym-type activities (e.g. weights, aerobics) and jogging were also common across ethnic groups. Group/team activities (dance, netball, touch football) were among the top 10 activities for Māori and Pacific, but not European women. Obesity rates among specific ethnic groups of New Zealand women might be reduced by promoting activities that are: family/whānau-oriented (netball, touch), communitylinked (hula, dance) and outdoor-based. Implications for public health: Tailoring existing PA preferences to develop ethnic-specific sets of activity suggestions could be important avenues to increase PA participation, improving the PA habits and subsequent health of New Zealand women and their communities.

European journal of sport science, Jan 15, 2017

Quality objective physical activity data are required to inform physical activity-based health im... more Quality objective physical activity data are required to inform physical activity-based health improvement initiatives, however, various challenges undermine acquisition of such data. We examined the efficacy and challenges of a hip-worn accelerometry protocol in women. Specific objectives included determining accelerometer-wear-compliance rates and understanding the barriers and acceptability of wearing accelerometers. Healthy New Zealand women (n = 406) of three ethnicities (Māori (indigenous New Zealander), Pacific, European) aged 16-45 years (30.9 ± 8.7 y) wore hip-mounted Actigraph wGT3X+ accelerometers for 7 consecutive days under a 24-h wear protocol. Post hoc, a sub-sample (n = 45; age: 29.4 ± 9.0 y) was interviewed to investigate comfort/convenience and burdens of accelerometer-wear. Wear-compliance (≥10 h/day, ≥4 day) was 86%. European women returned more valid data (92.7%, p < .04) than Pacific (73.0%) or Māori women (82.1%). Twenty-two participants (5.4%) had complete...

Anthropologie et Sociétés, 2011

Les modèles traditionnels de leadership māori, bien qu’encore prégnants pour certains, ont perdu ... more Les modèles traditionnels de leadership māori, bien qu’encore prégnants pour certains, ont perdu une grande partie de leur actualité au cours du processus de colonisation. Depuis, ceux et celles qui se sont affirmés au plan de la recherche, s’ils n’ont pas toujours eu accès aux réseaux traditionnels qui encadraient et encourageaient ce leadership, en ont néanmoins introduit de nouvelles formes. Le présent article explore cette notion de leadership dans la communauté du marae Awataha, sur la rive nord d’Auckland, communauté avec laquelle j’ai poursuivi mes recherches et discuté des transformations qui ont affecté le leadership māori au fil du temps. Ce leadership s’observe dans les domaines de l’expression des passions, de l’engagement, du service à la collectivité, de l’humilité, de la tolérance et du courage dans l’adversité. Toutes ces qualités sont autant d’aspects d’un leadership efficace favorisant des transformations positives pour le développement à venir.

Commoning Ethnography

In 1999, Linda Tuhiwai Smith wrote that ‘The word ... ‘research’ is probably one of the dirtiest ... more In 1999, Linda Tuhiwai Smith wrote that ‘The word ... ‘research’ is probably one of the dirtiest words in the indigenous world’s vocabulary. When mentioned in many indigenous contexts, it stirs up silence, it conjures up bad memories, it raises a smile that is knowing and distrustful.’ (1). Despite the efforts of many, anthropology in Aotearoa/New Zealand has a history of silence, possibly based on the memories of practitioners who, from the 1980s, lived through times of deep mistrust of anthropologists by Māori. As a student, then practitioner, of anthropology, I received many challenges to my status as an anthropologist and an indigenous academic from both indigenous and non-indigenous academics. Perhaps in order for anthropology to continue to have meaning for Māori and other indigenous peoples in Aotearoa, we need to thoroughly stir up that silence to see what lies beneath in order to fully engage in a truly meaningful relationship.

This chapter provides an overview of the volume, beginning with anecdotes from the editors. These... more This chapter provides an overview of the volume, beginning with anecdotes from the editors. These anecdotes demonstrate the range of issues facing Indigenous scholars and researchers who choose to work with Indigenous participants and/or communities. Reference is made to Indigenous research sovereignty, honouring the immense work undertaken by previous Indigenous scholars, enabling many today to work effectively with their own people as well as other Indigenous groups. This is considered a courageous act, given the vulnerability this opens Indigenous peoples up to in terms of the change that is engendered and the criticism from external non-Indigenous researchers that has often arisen. The organisation of the volume into three parts is discussed, and this chapter ends with synopses of the following 16 chapters.

Commoning Ethnography, Dec 18, 2017

In 1999, Linda Tuhiwai Smith wrote that 'The word … 'research' is probably one of the dirtiest wo... more In 1999, Linda Tuhiwai Smith wrote that 'The word … 'research' is probably one of the dirtiest words in the indigenous world's vocabulary. When mentioned in many indigenous contexts, it stirs up silence, it conjures up bad memories, it raises a smile that is knowing and distrustful.' (1). Despite the efforts of many, anthropology in Aotearoa/New Zealand has a history of silence, possibly based on the memories of practitioners who, from the 1980s, lived through times of deep mistrust of anthropologists by Māori. As a student, then practitioner, of anthropology, I received many challenges to my status as an anthropologist and an indigenous academic from both indigenous and non-indigenous academics. Perhaps in order for anthropology to continue to have meaning for Māori and other indigenous peoples in Aotearoa, we need to thoroughly stir up that silence to see what lies beneath in order to fully engage in a truly meaningful relationship. 1

Indigenous Research Ethics: Claiming Research Sovereignty Beyond Deficit and the Colonial Legacy

This chapter looks at what it means to set out to do anthropological research with tangata whenua... more This chapter looks at what it means to set out to do anthropological research with tangata whenua (New Zealanders of Māori descent; literally, ‘people of the land’), from the particular perspective of a Pākehā (New Zealander of non-Māori descent – usually European) musical anthropologist with an interest in sound-made worlds. In late 2017, Lowe was awarded funding for a conjoint PhD scholarship in anthropology at James Cook University, Australia, and Aarhus University, Denmark. However, following advice from several colleagues in Aotearoa New Zealand, Lowe decided to assess the viability of the project with his prospective Māori and non-Māori collaborators prior to officially starting his PhD candidature. Throughout this process of pre-ethics (Barrett, 2016), Lowe met with both Māori and non-Māori to discuss the proposed PhD project; a ‘listening in’ to his own socio-historical positioning as a Pākehā anthropologist within contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand. This approach to anthropological research is in response to George (2017), who argues for a new politically and ethnically aware mode of anthropology that aims to (re)establish relationships of true meaning between anthropology and Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Online Submission, 2010

Table of contents Preface and acknowledgements iii Foreword iv Editors' introduction v Carry on S... more Table of contents Preface and acknowledgements iii Foreword iv Editors' introduction v Carry on Student Learning: Shifting what we do, how we do it and where we do it 1

SpringerPlus, 2015

Background: Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m 2) is used internationally to assess body mass or adiposi... more Background: Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m 2) is used internationally to assess body mass or adiposity. However, BMI does not discriminate body fat content or distribution and may vary among ethnicities. Many women with normal BMI are considered healthy, but may have an unidentified "hidden fat" profile associated with higher metabolic disease risk. If only BMI is used to indicate healthy body size, it may fail to predict underlying risks of diseases of lifestyle among population subgroups with normal BMI and different adiposity levels or distributions. Higher body fat levels are often attributed to excessive dietary intake and/or inadequate physical activity. These environmental influences regulate genes and proteins that alter energy expenditure/storage. Micro ribonucleic acid (miRNAs) can influence these genes and proteins, are sensitive to diet and exercise and may influence the varied metabolic responses observed between individuals. The study aims are to investigate associations between different body fat profiles and metabolic disease risk; dietary and physical activity patterns as predictors of body fat profiles; and whether these risk factors are associated with the expression of microRNAs related to energy expenditure or fat storage in young New Zealand women. Given the rising prevalence of obesity globally, this research will address a unique gap of knowledge in obesity research. Methods/Design: A cross-sectional design to investigate 675 NZ European, Māori, and Pacific women aged 16-45 years. Women are classified into three main body fat profiles (n = 225 per ethnicity; n = 75 per body fat profile): 1) normal BMI, normal body fat percentage (BF%); 2) normal BMI, high BF%; 3) high BMI, high BF%. Regional body composition, biomarkers of metabolic disease risk (i.e. fasting insulin, glucose, HbA1c, lipids), inflammation (i.e. IL-6, TNF-alpha, hs-CRP), associations between lifestyle factors (i.e. dietary intake, physical activity, taste perceptions) and microRNA expression will be investigated. Discussion: This research targets post-menarcheal, premenopausal women, potentially exhibiting lifestyle behaviours resulting in excess body fat affecting metabolic health. These behaviours may be characterised by specific patterns of microRNA expression that will be explored in terms of tailored solutions specific to body fat profile groups and ethnicities.

Social Identities, 2012

As the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand, Māori have often been at the forefront in terms... more As the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand, Māori have often been at the forefront in terms of expressing rights to sovereignty and independence. Political activism decrying imperialist colonization and highlighting the negative effects on our peoples thrust Māori into international arenas where the term 'indigenous' and notions of indigeneity became increasingly common. The burgeoning of Māori culture during and following the Māori cultural renaissance in the 1970s and 1980s has seen many Māori people reconnect and reclaim that culture in a variety of ways. During that renaissance, ancestral cultural features that Māori shared Á ngā taonga tuku iho Á were emphasised. Perhaps an unintended consequence, however, was that Māori multiplicity was minimised, while their homogeneity was emphasised. Indigeneity provided another unifying initiative which also carries the hazard of homogenizing indigenous groups, both at local and international levels. Māori multiplicity Á the diverse and multiple ways in which Māori people express who we are as Māori Á is evident on urban marae. The marae community of Awataha provides an exemplar of the complexities of this multiplicity at this grassroots level that nevertheless has been influenced by national and international notions of indigenous peoples and indigeneity.

A waiata of the pathway of spirits-te ara wairua-that includes Ohau and the waters of Murimotu ne... more A waiata of the pathway of spirits-te ara wairua-that includes Ohau and the waters of Murimotu near Te Reinga, where spirits of the dead leave the land of Aotearoa. In Kawharu, 2008, p.122. viii ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many acknowledgements to make on this very long journey. The journey of the one would have been impossible without the love and support of the many-Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi. Engari, he toa takitini. Firstly, acknowledgements go to the people of Awataha Marae, whose belief and support saw the PhD project initiated, and whose willingness to work through the challenges that arose ensured that it has come to completion. In particular I acknowledge Arnold and Rangitiinia Wilson for your love and guidance as two of the most significant teachers in my life. The gifts you have given me will always influence who I am and who I will be. To the rest of the Awataha whānau

In some mammals, both sexes exhibit a high degree of parental behaviour. This is the case in many... more In some mammals, both sexes exhibit a high degree of parental behaviour. This is the case in many primates which form pair bonds, such as marmosets, tamarins, owl monkeys and siamangs 1−4 . It is not known if any endocrine changes occur in male mammals which show ...

Sites: a journal of social anthropology and cultural studies, 2013

This article draws from research with Mäori women who have experiences of incarceration and key i... more This article draws from research with Mäori women who have experiences of incarceration and key informants who have worked with Mäori in the criminal justice system and/or in communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. Understanding was sought through an exploration of the intergenerational transfer of suffering and the associated normalisation of dysfunction and incarceration. Theories of historical trauma are utilised as a way to comprehend our history of incarceration; most invigorating about historical trauma theory is its ultimate aim of healing, however. Therefore we also sought narratives of hope for new pathways through which Mäori women can reconnect and rebuild their lives and those of their whänau. Through such an aim that seeks self-determined solutions to past wounding, historical trauma theory can contribute to contemporary rebuilding for incarcerated Mäori women and their whänau.