Kawegapūrongo | News and Events

Kia ora koutou katoa



Well another year has come to an end and what a year it has been! Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) has now completed two years of our current Centre of Research Excellence contract, and as we move into 2018 the next three years is opening up before us - full of new opportunities, exciting projects and ongoing research excellence. 

In late 2017 a new group of NPM summer interns started working on their research projects under the supervision of some of NPM's leading researchers and investigators.



These 23 summer research internships provide practical research training over the summer period for the interns as well as a meaningful output at the end of the project. 

The research projects span multiple institutions, faculties and research themes, covering topics from mau rākau and well-being, to social movements and te reo Māori revitalisation.

NPM has confirmed an exciting collection of new 2017 seed and scope research projects, which will further expand on our current body of research.

Thes will extend NPM's transformative potential throughout its research network and communities to ultimately produce valuable and effective strategic outcomes.



There are nine new projects covering key areas within our three research themes and programme of Te Reo me Ngā Tikanga Māori.

These include:



Whai Rawa: Māori Economies

The 2017 MAI Doctoral Conference hosted by MAI ki Massey in Palmerston North, opened on Thursday 16 November and Co-Director Jacinta Ruru commented just how powerful and empowering this gathering of Māori and Indigenous doctoral students is; "This is such an important annual opportunity to bring together incredible postgraduate students from around the motu to spend time together supporting and inspiring one another”.

Hui Poutama, is a biennial symposium held at the University of Otago, which showcases the depth and reach of Māori academic research at the university.

Under the theme of “Titiro whakamuri kia anga whakamua”, 12 of the universities Māori academics are presenting their work, together with keynote speakers which include new NPM Co-Director Professor Linda Nikora and also NPM Postdotoral Fellow Dr Gianna Leoni.

NPM’s Co-Directors Professors Linda Nikora and Jacinta Ruru, together with our senior management team, are delighted to see the increase in Māori researchers successfully securing highly competitive Marsden funding in the latest round.

These successes further reinforce the incredible depth and breadth of Māori research excellence that exists across many disciplines throughout the country and our 21 partner institutions.

New Zealand’s top researchers were honoured at the Royal Society’s 150th gala dinner held in Auckland on the night of Tuesday 10th October, and amongst these awardees were three of NPM’s outstanding Principal Investigators.

Outgoing NPM Co-Director and senior researcher Professor Tracey McIntosh (Tūhoe), was awarded the prestigious Te Rangi Hiroa Medal for significantly advancing our understanding of enduring social injustices to ensure greater Māori wellbeing, social cohesion and meaningful cultural diversity in Aotearoa.