Rangatahi ♥ Social Media: a kaupapa Māori analysis of discourses from Facebook communities aimed at rangatahi Māori

Abstract

Social media sites such as Facebook allow rangatahi (Māori youth) to create and modify their social networks to suit their engagement within these sites. The aim of this research is to explore the ways in which rangatahi are engaging in social media for the purposes of expressing cultural identity. By analysing selected dialogues from three selected Facebook communities aimed at rangatahi, this dissertation provides insight into the ways in which members are utilising Facebook for the Kaupapa Māori notions of whanau (family), whakapapa (ancestry), manaakitanga (generosity) and tino rangatiratanga (self-determination).

The methods used are an overarching Kaupapa Māori methodology and content analysis. Kaupapa Māori guides this research through the employment of key Māori principles. Content analysis is used to draw on a close reading of thematic distinctions from five Facebook messages posted from each of the three communities. The selected communities are Mana Rangatahi Aotearoa, Rangatahi Tu Rangatira and Nga Rangatahi Toa.