Dr. Rachel Mukwezwa Tapera is a Research Fellow at Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, Waipapa Taumata Rau – The University of Auckland, whose research bridges Indigenous health, migrant health, and neurodiversity. Her work centers on addressing inequities faced by neurodivergent migrant populations through culturally grounded frameworks. Drawing on the Ubuntu philosophy, she has examined the lived experiences of autistic and neurodivergent Indigenous African migrants in Aotearoa, integrating Indigenous African values with recognition of tāngata whenua. Dr. Tapera contributes to projects exploring Māori, Pacific, and international Indigenous perspectives on autism and disability, advancing health equity and inclusion within Aotearoa’s health and disability sectors. Her research also extends to digital health access among neurodivergent women from diverse backgrounds, highlighting the intersection of technology, culture, and wellbeing. With six years of research experience, she has produced impactful scholarship reflected in 67 citations, an h-index of 3, and an i10-index of 2. Dr. Tapera’s achievements include recognition for outstanding academic poster presentations at major university and international conferences, underscoring her commitment to Indigenous methodologies, culturally responsive research, and the pursuit of equitable health outcomes for neurodivergent individuals across diverse communities.
Featured Publications
Tapera, R., Harwood, M., & Anderson, A. (2017). A qualitative Kaupapa Māori approach to understanding infant and young child feeding practices of Māori and Pacific grandparents in Auckland, New Zealand. Public Health Nutrition, 20(6), 1090–1098.
Wright, K., Tapera, R. M., Stott, N. S., Sorhage, A., Mackey, A., & Williams, S. A. (2022). Indigenous health equity in health register ascertainment and data quality: A narrative review. International Journal for Equity in Health, 21(1), 34.
Wright, K., Dehar, A., Stott, N. S., Mackey, A., Sorhage, A., Tapera, R., & Williams, S. A. (2022). Prioritizing indigenous health equity in health registers: An environmental scan of strategies for equitable ascertainment and quality data. Global Health Research and Policy, 7(1), 24.
Tapera, R. M. (2014). Infant feeding practices of grandparents [Master’s thesis, University of Auckland]. University of Auckland Research Repository, ResearchSpace.
Tapera, R. M. (2022). The social effects of neurodiversity amongst Indigenous African migrants in Aotearoa, New Zealand [Doctoral thesis, University of Auckland]. University of Auckland Research Repository, ResearchSpace.