Pūkeka Matua - Senior Lecturer
Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe and Kāi Tahu
PhD, RCpN, Cert.Te Reo, BA Māori, MsciCommTel +64 3 372 6745
Email kelly.tikao@otago.ac.nz
Background
Kelly joined the Centre for Post Graduate Nursing Studies and Māori Indigenous Health Institute in November 2021, bringing her experience as a senior registered nurse with over 20 years' experience working in a variety of health settings, including District Health Boards in Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch.
She has extensive experience working in community and clinical health settings with medical, surgical, neurology, public health and mental health inpatient work. Kelly has divided her nursing experience between secondary health care settings and primary hauora Māori community organisations situated all over New Zealand.
Kelly affiliates to most Marae on the Horomaka including Ōnuku, Koukourarata, Rapaki, Wairewa, Taumutu and Tūāhuriri, also to Waihao in Morven and Takahanga Marae in Kaikoura. Her cultural connections are her rongoā and she instils this, alongside her tāne Rihari Taratoa-Bannister, of Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāi Te Rangi affiliation, to their five tamariki.
Research interests
- Kaupapa Māori Methodology and Methods
- The realm of advocacy/independence and mana motuhake for people living with disability.
- Youth Mental Health and working with whānau.
- The rejuvenation of Ngāi Tahu Customary Birthing Knowledge and Practices.
Collaborative projects
Kelly works part-time with the Donald Beasley Institute (DBI) working alongside the team on a number of projects including:
- “Tell us about you” for the Royal Commission inquiry into Abuse in Care.
- A Bicultural Framework for the DBI.
Kelly also works with the Ministry of Education on a project titled, “Kā Au Kahuraki”. Her role is to evaluate the impact the Mana Whenua Strategy within Kā Au Kahuraki has had on the enhancement of whānau wellbeing and the decrease in whānau harm in the Christchurch East area.
Kelly is a Researcher and Adjunct Fellow at the University of Canterbury working on the MindKiwi Project under the Health Science Department. This project is evaluating the effectiveness of a mindfulness programme for tamariki (8-12 years) who are living with ADHD and are not currently medicated. The mindfulness programme aims to equip tamariki and whānau with more tools to induce calmness and improve length of concentration.
Teaching responsibilities
NURS 442 Healthcare in New Zealand
Assistance throughout all other post graduate nursing papers with Hauora Māori components.
Supervision responsibilities
- PhD and Masters students
Publications
Theobald, P., Harding, A. J., Taylor, M., Donovan, K., Moltchanova, E., Stevens, A., Tikao, K., … Rucklidge, J. J. (2026). Efficacy of oral micronutrients and online mindfulness for emotional dysregulation in children aged 6–10 (The M&M Trial): A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutritional Psychiatry, 2, 100014. doi: 10.1016/j.nupsyc.2026.100014 Journal - Research Other
Tikao, K. (2026). Cradling the renaissance of Ngāi Tahu customary maternity knowledge through ancient lullabies in Aotearoa New Zealand. In R. Davis-Floyd, B.-A. Daviss & I. Ali (Eds.), Traditional midwives: Cross-cultural perspectives. New York, NY: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003380160-14 Chapter in Book - Research
Tikao, K. W. (2025, July). “Hākari”: A feast of whākaro Māori to support a dynamic delivery of rehabilitation in Aotearoa and beyond. Plenary presentation at the Rehabilitation Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand (RMSANZ) 8th Annual Scientific Meeting in conjunction with the New Zealand Rehabilitation Society (NZRA), Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Tikao, K. (2024). It takes a kaika to rejuvenate maternity practices: A Kai Tahu journey of reclamation. Proceedings of the Indigenous Wellbeing Conference. Retrieved from https://anzmh.asn.au/iwc Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Wilson, L., Wilkinson, A., & Tikao, K. (2022). Health professional perspectives on translation of cultural safety concepts into practice: A scoping study. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3, 891571. doi: 10.3389/fresc.2022.891571 Journal - Research Article