Background On average, six Maori children are admitted to hospital every day for an unintentional injury. The main goal of Tamariki Haumaru ki Aotearoa (Safekids NZ) is to reduce the incidence and severity of unintentional injuries to our NZ children aged 0–14 years. In order to steer that process of addressing an indigenous focus ‘back to the future’ one needs to gain a basic understanding of some traditional aspects of Maori Health and well-being.

Aims/Objectives/Purpose Provide a relevant Spectrum of Injury Prevention model that will serve as a pictorial representation of what will work in Aotearoa. Provide Safekids coalition leaders and collaborative injury prevention networks with proactive initiatives to recognise and address ‘The Indigenous Connection’.

Methods A brief look at unintentional child injury mortality and morbidity for the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa—New Zealand. Identify a generic model that can be adopted to actively address indigenous issues and possibly reduce the incidence of unintentional Injuries.

Outcomes To apply the indigenous Maori traditional concepts and philosophies from Birthing to Te Kohanga Reo (Early Childcare Language Nests) through Kura Kaupapa Maori (Immersion Primary Schools). These early seeds sown are the critical seeds for ‘safety’ across Maori indigenous pedagogy.

Conclusions These idealolgies have been presented in many Maori Health promotion ‘models’—Te Whare Tapawha (Durie 1998), Te Pae Maahutonga (Durie 2000) and Kia Uruuru Mai a Hauora (Ratima 2001), all evolving from a traditional base of concepts, values, principles, processes and strategies with an underlying purpose of connecting ‘pathways for a vibrant and culturally safer future’.