Abstract

Abortion is an under-researched, sensitive and politicised topic, but in the New Zealand context, there is a conspicuous dearth of exploratory research on Indigenous (Mori) perspectives on abortion, despite some indication that Mori seek abortion services. International research that attends to the socio-cultural context of abortion evidences a fascinating variability of perspectives and attitudes about abortion, with some commonalities and patterns of resistance. Within accounts of Mori historical practice of abortion, there is some evidence of variability, and we sought to better understand the contemporary socio-cultural context surrounding Mori perspectives on abortion. As part of an Indigenous feminist (Mana Whine) interview study with 43 participants (26 women, 17 men), thematic analysis of participants' talk about abortion identified notions regarding protection of a new life, woman's individual choice, and extended family investment and support as foregrounded themes. We describe a rich and nuanced account of Mori perspectives on abortion, describing how these are structurally embedded within particular socio-historical and socio-cultural contexts, including Mori ideologies and theories, colonisation and Christianity, and women's rights activism.