Pātai Puāwai

This project, in collaboration with Te Weu Charitable Trust, will undertake a scoping study that aims to understand the research needs of Māori communities in Te Tairāwhiti, specifically in relation to climate change. Whānau, hapū and iwi within Te Tairāwhiti are knowledge holders, ringa raupā, and leaders about the local environment and local communities.

The research project will analyse WIPO’s proposal to develop databases of indigenous knowledge and genetic resources through a case study on mātauranga Māori innovations in papakāinga and assessing findings about novel mātauranga vis-à-vis existing and proposed domestic and international laws regarding data in registries.

This project will engage in research activities that prioritise the reclamation and communication of Māori knowledge systems (mātauranga tuku iho).

Sea level rise resulting from climate change poses significant threats to coastal resources, including mahinga kai, culturally significant sites like wāhi tapu or marae, and projects like wetland habitat restoration. Threats include not just rising sea levels, but also increased frequency and intensity of storm-related effects like storm surge and flooding (e.g., Cyclone Gabrielle).

Māori (and Indigenous) women engage in embodied relationship with the natural environment in a range of ways, such as raranga, rongoā, or physical activity. This research will explore what these embodied relationships can teach us about the potential for reciprocal healing between wahine and whenua, person and place, by developing a network of Māori and Indigenous women and prioritising mātauranga wāhine.

Extensive international scholarship demonstrates Indigenous people are particularly and uniquely affected by historical trauma through colonisation. Specific acts of oppression that remain unaddressed often result in the intergenerational transfer of trauma and trauma responses.