This summer internship was organised by Dr. Te Taka Keegan to be a Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Named Internship supervised by Dr. Kim Pickering at The University of Waikato. The project was called “He Tohu Maumahara ki a Paora Mato” and involved the creation of a 3D printed Tekoteko with a harakeke based biodegradable filament for a trophy in memory of Paora Mato, a staff member at The University of Waikato who unfortunately passed away last year in June. The design for the tekoteko was taken from a figure carved on Paora’s 21st key, scanned and edited to become a standing figure reminiscent of the tekoteko perched on the gables of a marae.

A new report from Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research provides guidance for Te Ao Māori on climate change adaptation and mitigation. He huringa āhuarangi, he huringa ao: a changing climate, a changing world was produced by a multidisciplinary Māori research team working across many research institutions.

PhD Candidate: Hannah Rapata (Kāi Tahu)

Primary Supervisors: Associate Professor Donna Cormack

This research is focused on “Te Kai Ora a Kāi Tahu” and will use kaupapa Māori qualitative methods to explore opportunities to strengthen connections between Kāi Tahu whenua, peoples, and waters.

The centrality of mahika kai to Kāi Tahu identity will be explored with regards to the future of Kāi Tahu whānau and hapori control over kai sources, kai systems and kai practices for kai ora.

PhD Candidate: Waratah Mihiwira Taogaga (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Barkindji (NSW), Ngāti Hāmoa.)

Primary Supervisor(s):

This project asks whether there are lessons to be had found in both the Māori Covid-19 response to date and the growing body of evidence that papakāinga living has benefits beyond the physical home that could inform a wider response to prepare whānau for current and future infectious disease threats and ultimately support ongoing socio-cultural connection and thus everyday good mental health?

Sustaining physical and mental health will become all the more important given the ongoing concern around the longer term impact of the inevitable recession and the disproportionate affect this will have on Māori (Kukutai, Moewaka Barnes, McCreanor and Mcintosh, 2020).

‘Ubiquitous Maths Learning Made Easy for Rangatahi and Adult Learners. (Especially if we are in lockdown!)’

Adults and rangatahi often come to maths learning with an already formed (negative) mathematics learning identity. Rangatahi know that for certain future goals they will need to “have” mathematics as part of their knowledge “suite”.

Western views on disability & underfunding of Indigenous health marginalises kāpō Māori. New research aims to change this & centre kāpō Māori lifeworlds

Traditional forms of Māori story-telling describe strong and knowledgeable kāpō Māori. Ongoing processes of colonisation has seen experiences of marginalisation, invisibility, and ‘othering’ become the norm for Māori, and even more so for disabled Māori. The framing of disability within the Pākehā health sector alongside chronic underfunding of Māori health services has compounded the exclusion and isolation experienced by kāpō Māori.

Often Kaumātua and elders generally, are seen as vulnerable and passive recipients of services throughout the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. However, in the village of Ohinemutu and as citizens of their iwi Ngāti Whakaue, Kaumātua have been active leaders in the response of the village, initially during the first four-week lockdown in 2020. However, that leadership was a continuation of their ongoing active participation in village activities. Feed the Pā brought together members of the village and others living outside who engaged the principles of awhi, tiaki and manaaki in responding to the needs of their community.

Hoki atu ki tōu maunga kia purea ai e koe ki ngā hau o Tāwhirimātea – Return to your mountain to be cleansed by the winds of Tāwhirimātea

Māori are facing many challenges in their work experiences, especially during Covid-19. This research seeks to understand the unique cultural strategies that employees engage in that make these challenges more bearable.