Contact Details
- Phone
- +64 27 482 6324
- kelly.tikao@otago.ac.nz
University Links
- Position
- Senior Lecturer
- Department
- Department of Māori Indigenous Health Innovation (Christchurch)
- Iwi affiliations
- Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu
- Qualifications
- PhD
- Research summary
- Māori Health
Research
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.
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