Table 1. Guide to ethical storytelling... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1.

Guide to ethical storytelling in indigenous social marketing

Principle	Minimum standard	Good practice	Best practice	Reflective prompts
Tika (doing what is right and good)	Mainstream: Protect rights, respect tikanga, avoid harm. Do not commodify stories, words, or designs for mainstream benefit	Māori centred: Indigenous voices shape direction, process and outcomes. Co-production with benefit-sharing, reciprocity and cultural integrity	Kaupapa Māori: Storytelling is for/with/by/as Māori. Māori-led decision-making. Story/data sovereignty. Campaigns embed tino-rangatiratanga. Non-Indigenous partners allies support, not direct. Māori determine which stories are told, how and by whom	How will this impact indigenous peoples (positively/negatively)? Who needs to be consulted (kuamātua, iwi, hapū, advisors)? Is this genuinely indigenous-led? Whose worldview frames the initiative? What long-term benefits will be realised?
Manaakitanga (respect, cultural and social responsibility)	Cultural sensitivity: Do no harm. Avoid appropriation, distortion or commodification. Show care, empathy and dignity	Cultural safety: Active protection through co-creation. Māori communities define safety. Advisory groups, iwi/hapū engagement and benefit sharing	Māhaki (respectful conduct): long-term Kaupapa-aligned partnership. Indigenous voices lead storytelling. Ongoing collaboration grounded in authenticity, reciprocity and trust	Are indigenous peoples treated with dignity? Who defines “safety” and cultural protocols? Is your organisation Kaupapa-aligned? How is cultural authenticity safeguarded? Is this partnership long-term and mutually beneficial?
Mana (power and authority)	Mana Tangata: Respect individual dignity, equity, transparency. Informed consent. Koha as reciprocity	Mana Whenua: Collective authority. Co-design with hapū/iwi. Outcomes contribute to iwi/hapū aspirations	Mana Whakahaere: Māori retain control and guardianship of knowledge, data and storytelling. Shared governance, indigenous IP/data sovereignty upheld. Co-developed curricular with iwi/hapū	Who holds decision-making power? Have iwi/hapū goals shaped the Kaupapa? Who owns the data/IP? How are Māori exercising guardianship? Are Māori voices positioned as co-authors of knowledge?
Whakapapa (relationships)	Consultation: Map who holds relationships to the Kaupapa. Ensure transparent reporting back and clarity of purpose. Avoid repurposing without consent	Engagement: Ongoing reciprocal relationships. Co-defined problems, priorities, risks, success measures. Tangible benefits (e.g. reo resources, scholarships)	Kaitiaki: Empower Māori as guardians. Kaupapa Māori principles guide from start to end. Authority remains with indigenous peoples; stories are safeguarded and reciprocal	Why does this Kaupapa exist and who asked for it? Which iwi/hapū/whānau hold relationships to this Kaupapa? What tangible outcomes are realized for Māori? Whose stories are being told, and who decides? How is reciprocity embedded?

Principle	Minimum standard	Good practice	Best practice	Reflective prompts
Tika (doing what is right and good)	Mainstream: Protect rights, respect tikanga, avoid harm. Do not commodify stories, words, or designs for mainstream benefit	Māori centred: Indigenous voices shape direction, process and outcomes. Co-production with benefit-sharing, reciprocity and cultural integrity	Kaupapa Māori: Storytelling is for/with/by/as Māori. Māori-led decision-making. Story/data sovereignty. Campaigns embed tino-rangatiratanga. Non-Indigenous partners allies support, not direct. Māori determine which stories are told, how and by whom	How will this impact indigenous peoples (positively/negatively)? Who needs to be consulted (kuamātua, iwi, hapū, advisors)? Is this genuinely indigenous-led? Whose worldview frames the initiative? What long-term benefits will be realised?
Manaakitanga (respect, cultural and social responsibility)	Cultural sensitivity: Do no harm. Avoid appropriation, distortion or commodification. Show care, empathy and dignity	Cultural safety: Active protection through co-creation. Māori communities define safety. Advisory groups, iwi/hapū engagement and benefit sharing	Māhaki (respectful conduct): long-term Kaupapa-aligned partnership. Indigenous voices lead storytelling. Ongoing collaboration grounded in authenticity, reciprocity and trust	Are indigenous peoples treated with dignity? Who defines “safety” and cultural protocols? Is your organisation Kaupapa-aligned? How is cultural authenticity safeguarded? Is this partnership long-term and mutually beneficial?
Mana (power and authority)	Mana Tangata: Respect individual dignity, equity, transparency. Informed consent. Koha as reciprocity	Mana Whenua: Collective authority. Co-design with hapū/iwi. Outcomes contribute to iwi/hapū aspirations	Mana Whakahaere: Māori retain control and guardianship of knowledge, data and storytelling. Shared governance, indigenous IP/data sovereignty upheld. Co-developed curricular with iwi/hapū	Who holds decision-making power? Have iwi/hapū goals shaped the Kaupapa? Who owns the data/IP? How are Māori exercising guardianship? Are Māori voices positioned as co-authors of knowledge?
Whakapapa (relationships)	Consultation: Map who holds relationships to the Kaupapa. Ensure transparent reporting back and clarity of purpose. Avoid repurposing without consent	Engagement: Ongoing reciprocal relationships. Co-defined problems, priorities, risks, success measures. Tangible benefits (e.g. reo resources, scholarships)	Kaitiaki: Empower Māori as guardians. Kaupapa Māori principles guide from start to end. Authority remains with indigenous peoples; stories are safeguarded and reciprocal	Why does this Kaupapa exist and who asked for it? Which iwi/hapū/whānau hold relationships to this Kaupapa? What tangible outcomes are realized for Māori? Whose stories are being told, and who decides? How is reciprocity embedded?