A Methodological Insight: Using Online Indigenous Qualitative Data Collection Methods During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Auckland, New Zealand

• Published in: International journal of qualitative methods Vol. 23
• Main Authors: Phillipson-Puna, Tira, Tkatch, Melaney, Ikiua, Monleigh, Leilua, Shannon, Cribb-Su’a, Ainsleigh, Brown, Rachel, Anderson, Anneka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 01.09.2024
• ISSN: 1609-4069; 1609-4069
• DOI: 10.1177/16094069241286411

Adapting indigenous qualitative research methods to an online platform was essential for indigenous qualitative research to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online qualitative data collection is a new method supporting health and other research. During the pandemic, shifting to online qualitative data collection was largely driven by impacts of COVID-19 restrictions where in-person data collection could not be undertaken. Recent research has evaluated online focus groups compared to the in-person focus group approach. However, less is understood about how Māori, Pacific and other Indigenous cultural protocols translate to an online approach. This article is based on a study that undertook an Indigenous approach to online data collection during a period of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022. The study was based in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, focused on gaining Māori, Samoan, Tongan and Cook Island Māori perspectives of streptococcus isolate use for rheumatic fever surveillance and research. In Aotearoa New Zealand, rheumatic fever inequitably affects Māori and Pacific children aged 5–15 years. The project used Kaupapa Māori and Pacific centred research methodologies that included online wānanga and fono methods to collect qualitative data from Māori, Tongan, Samoan and Cook Island Māori participants. This article critically reflects on the strengths and challenges of using these methodologies and Māori and Pacific cultural practices in an online health research. The article demonstrates how Indigenous methodologies can effectively be undertaken in online contexts and still maintain cultural integrity and provide rich qualitative data compared to in-person and western informed online qualitative data collection methods.