Background:

In 2019, The Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) first launched their Te Rautaki Manaaki Mana: Excellence in Emergency Care for Māori strategy. In its second iteration, the strategy encompasses ACEM’s biennial Manaaki Mana hui for their Kaikōkiri (Champions) network, ED staff and key partners to progress their vision of excellence in emergency care for Māori. 

The ACEM Manaaki Mana Kaikōkiri Hui 2024 brought together emergency medicine professionals, including medical staff, nurses, and key governmental stakeholders to Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, in New Zealand’s lower north island. The event featured a unique format, focusing on cultural immersion and kōrero – conversation-based learning and connection. The majority of delegates were from Aotearoa, and a key objective was to enhance their cultural competency and provide a space for the sharing of best practice in emergency care, particularly in Māori health contexts. 

Challenges:

Attracting a close-knit group of 88 delegates, the event was distinguished by its emphasis on Pae Ora, providing excellent, culturally safe emergency care where Māori patients, whānau (family) and staff feel valued. Integrating these practices into a professional development event for emergency medical professionals — especially from a various cultural backgrounds required thoughtful navigation. With Te Reo Māori (Māori language) used throughout the program, Australian attendees needed guidance for translation, as well as on Māori customs and traditions within the conference. 

Other challenges included cost barriers for junior staff to attend without funding support and travel costs related to the remoteness of the conference venue, with Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre one drive hour from the nearest domestic airport (Palmerston North). 

Solutions:

The ACEM Manaaki organising committee, in partnership with local Māori community and Arinex’ Aotearoa team, designed a bespoke conference format that embraced and integrated Māori customs and traditions. This included; 

• Opening and Closing Ceremonies: The conference opened with a formal pōwhiri (welcome ceremony) and closed with a Poroporoaki, featuring traditional Māori performances and haka (war dance). Throughout the event, delegates were guided by Māori facilitators on how to engage respectfully with cultural practices, such as seating arrangements and protocol for speaking during sessions. 

• Flexible Session Structure: Organisers elected for a wānanga (open discussions) format to allow for flexibility in the schedule, with each region having the opportunity to share what they were doing in terms of emergency medicine practices within the Māori community. Sessions were structured intentionally to allow delegates to engage in free-flowing discussions, share experiences, and collaborate on best practices. If a particular topic generated significant interest, the time for that session was extended, providing more space for in-depth deliberation. 

• Cultural Practices in Sessions: Throughout the Conference, sessions included culturally appropriate icebreakers such as impromptu kapa haka/ Māori action songs and waiata/ Te Reo songs and hymns, and a karakia / prayer at the beginning of each day to centre the group on the intention of the meeting. These moments not only fostered cultural sensitivity but also created a sense of unity and belonging among delegates. 

• Curated social networking: The local Iwi prepared a delicious Hangi/ feast each evening while local rangers guided attendees on a 2-hour tour to forage for native ingredients. These traditional Māori practices and helped unify the group. 

• Local Māori Experts: The event also featured local Māori consultants who provided insight into Rongoā  / traditional Māori medicine and perspectives on health and wellbeing. This was aimed at helping delegates understand how Māori used specific therapeutic elements of their natural environment for holistic and cultural heading practices. 

To break down the cost barrier for junior medical staff, organisers subsidised the cost for nurses and junior staff to ensure inclusivity, pricing registration at $80. Transportation challenges were overcome with shuttles arranged to transport delegates from Palmerston North Airport to the conference venue, ensuring that all delegates had access to transportation. 

Outcomes:

ACEM’s Manaaki Mana Kaikōkiri Hui demonstrated that conferences don’t need to have a large attendance to have a sizable impact. The Hui (a large social or ceremonial gathering) successfully increased delegates’ awareness of Māori cultural practices, leading to greater cultural competency in emergency care for the local communities. It also fostered a sense of camaraderie among emergency medicine professionals from Aotearoa and Australia. The wānanga approach to learning allowed for the sharing of best practices, challenges, and solutions across different regions, strengthening ties between emergency medicine teams on both sides of the Tasman Sea.  

The model of cultural immersion paired with professional development has set a standard for medical conferences that is likely to replicated in future meetings, ensuring ongoing cultural sensitivity and competence in any discipline.