Where colonial infrastructure, theoretical paradigms and western values dominate and continue to rule over Indigenous lands, airways and water, the health and well-being of Indigenous people will often suffer. Recent hauora (health and well-being) initiatives and notable cultural shifts across Indigenous communities in Aotearoa are deserving of more recognition. This is because western culture and ideologies related to kai (food) which were introduced during the colonisation of our lands, our environment, and our people, have had a major detrimental impact on Māori health and well-being. This thesis is of particular relevance at a time when Māori are developing increasing emphasis on self-development strategies and the recognition of solutions informed by Indigenous knowledge. This work will argue how ‘kai ora and puku ora’ might be normalised as an Indigenous approach to well-being. In doing so, it seeks to contribute to the reclamation of our own ‘hauora’ knowledge, practices, and values. Finally, it will make an important contribution to whānau understandings of our capacity to engage in our own well-being solutions. This in turn, will contribute to improving the health of our communities, contribute to protecting our culture and ultimately, contribute to the long-term survival of Māori people.