NPM is honoured to welcome 20 Raumati Interns who will work with researchers from our national network over the summer on a diverse range of exciting projects. The Raumati Internship Programme aims to grow and support the professional development of our up-and-coming researchers. They are a passionate and enthusiastic group and we look forward to supporting them to flourish in their academic lives while making lasting connections within their professional network.
Intern: Sophie Newton | Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Tukorohe
Intern: Ben Barton | Te Arawa
Developing a Bibliography of Politics Research by Kairangahau Māori
Supervisor: Dr Lara Greaves | Ngāpuhi
Institution: Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
Intern: Keenen Wood | Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Rarua, Ngāti Toa Rangatira
Te reo Māori Smart Home Voice Assistant
Supervisor: Associate Professor Te Taka Keegan| Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue
Institution: Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | The University of Waikato
Intern: Courtney Smith | Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa
Tihei Mauriora, Tihei Mana Motuhake: Breathing mauri and mana motuhake into the lives of rangatahi Māori who offend and their whānau with lived experience of trauma.
Supervisor: Dr Tania Cliffe-Tautari | Te Arawa, Ngāi Tahu
Institution: Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
Intern: Nadine Everson | Te Arawa
Health systems and decolonisation: Preliminary activities to understand health system perspectives
Supervisor: Dr Karen Wright | Kai Tahu
Institution: Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
Intern: Grace Manihera | Ngaati-Wairere me Ngaati-Mahuta
Using a Māori lens to analyse media discourse on the introduction of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022
Supervisor: Associate Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere | Te Rarawa, Ngai te Rangi, Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau and Dr Amohia Boulton | Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi te Rangi, Ngāti Pukenga
Institution: Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | The University of Waikato
Intern: Te Hirea Doherty | Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pukenga, Ngapūhi
A kaupapa Māori literature review of cannabis and methamphetamine use experiences of Māori
Supervisor: Dr Erena Wikaire | Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine
Institution: Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
Intern: Emma Jones | Ngāti Porou
Building an Indigenous Science curriculum in tertiary education
Supervisor: Associate Professor Anne-Marie, Jackson | Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Wai
Institution: The Whare Wānanga o Ōtāgo | University of Otago
Intern: Tane Whitehead | Te Āti Awa me Taranaki
Hangaia ana te whare o Indigenous Science
Supervisor: Associate Professor, Anne-Marie, Jackson | Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Wai
Institution: The Whare Wānanga o Ōtāgo | University of Otago
Intern: Hinemoa Watene | Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Rongowhakaata
Flourishing Wāhine Māori Identities in Women’s Rugby
Supervisor: Dr Jeremy Hapeta | Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Wai
Institution: The Whare Wānanga o Ōtāgo | University of Otago
Intern: Hana Vause | Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa
Traditional understandings of wāhine Māori, their roles, and maintenance of their safety: Kaumatua and kuia perspectives
Supervisor: Professor Denise Wilson | Tainui, Ngāti Porou ki Harataunga, Whakatohea, Ngāti Oneone, Tūwharetoa, and Dr Alayne Mikahere-Hall | Te Rarawa, Ngāti Whātua, Tainui
Institution: Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau | Auckland University of Technology
Intern: Georgia Palmer | Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pikiao
Maramataka Māori Embedding Indigenous Knowledge(s) in Education
Supervisor: Dr Hurinui Clarke & Kari Moana Te Rongopatahi
Institution: Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | The University of Canterbury
Intern: Kate Palmer-Neels | Ngāpuhi
He mauri tō te tamaiti: Ākonga Māori motivation in education
Supervisor: Professor Melinda Webber | Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu
Institution: Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
Intern: Te Hau Ariki Gardiner | Ngai te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāpuhi
eHealth initiatives in surgery: Cultural co-design of a general surgical patient-centred App
Supervisor: Associate Professor Karyn Paringatai | Ngāti Porou
Institution: The Whare Wānanga o Ōtāgo | University of Otago
Intern: Ashleigh Witehira | Ngāpuhi, Whakatōhea, Tainui
Exploring the long-term impact of COVID on the social, cultural, mental, and physical wellbeing of individuals, communities, and workplaces.
Supervisors: Dr Kiri Edge | Ngāti Maniapoto, and Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora | Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Tūhoe, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Māhaki
Institution: Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
Intern: Moana Murray | Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa
Kākāpō: Regenerating knowledge of an endangered Taonga species
Supervisor: Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora | Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Tūhoe, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki
Institution: Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
Intern: Tama Blackburn | Ngati Maniapoto; Ngati Kinohaku
He hakune rangahau o Te Atiawa: What could a Te Atiawa research model and methodology look like?
Supervisors: Dr Kiri Edge | Ngāti Maniapoto, and Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora | Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Tuhoe, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki
Institution: (NPM) Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
Intern: Jasmine Fraser | Te Arawa, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa and Ātihaunui ā Pāpārangi
He oranga whānau: mahi ngātahi Whānau livelihoods within the context of work and Māori economies of wellbeing
Supervisors: Professor Chellie Spiller | Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Associate Professor Jason Mika | Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Kahungunu
Institution: Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | The University of Waikato
Intern: Toiroa Whaanga-Davies | Ngāti Rakaipaaka/Ngāti Kahungungu Ngāti Rehua/Ngāti Wai
NPM Cawthron Te Pītau Whakarei Karahipi : Mātauranga Māori research and learning resources
Supervisor: Cawthron - Heni Unwin | Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi
Intern: Edie Balme | Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga
Tangi as a transferable mourning and grief model
Supervisor: Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora | Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Tūhoe, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Māhaki
Institution: (NPM) Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland
Ētahi atu · Other articles
Kōrero · News
The unlimited potentiality of tākaro Māori for mokopuna and whānau intergenerational vitality
23 September 2026 · 12:00–12:00
Play is fundamental to child and whānau wellbeing. This webinar will provide a snapshot of work emerging from the SPIRIT (Supporting Play and Intergenerational Relationships with Indigenous Tradition) programme, a global Indigenous collaboration funded through the LEGO Foundation’s Build a World of Play Challenge.
SPIRIT involves Indigenous educators, researchers, practitioners, advocates, parents, caregivers, and community members from around the globe. We are advancing culturally grounded, self-determined approaches to Indigenous play in ways that honour Indigenous children as our taonga the embodiment of our collective happiness, hope, wonder, and joy.
We highlight some of our Aotearoa-based rangahau that elevates mokopuna world-perspectives and articulates a decolonial, Indigenous-led vision of children’s rights to play.
Kōrero · News
NPM E-Pānui Hereturikōkā | August 2026 out now
With Kōanga upon us, we can all approach the months ahead with renewed vigour and intent. NPM certainly has plenty of mahi to keep us busy, starting with our upcoming Wānanga Paetukutuku on September 23. Centred on the potential of Indigenous play, it promises valuable insights into how culturally grounded play can support tamariki.
Our team at Kanapu recently launched the incredible RSI&T navigation platform Kanapu Connect and we encourage all of our readers to sign up and start connecting! KC offers a fantastic snapshot of the vast network of RSIT organisations operating across the motu. It’s an essential tool whether you’re new to the sector, exploring new horizons, or just trying to figure out who’s who.
You may have also spotted our recent social media updates highlighting the IIRC26 keynotes. We are thrilled with the line-up of authoritative voices speaking at IIRC26 and know that participants will draw immense inspiration from their kōrero.
Finally, we want to draw attention to a feature in this issue, revisiting research done by Professor Maria Bargh and her team back in 2018. It’s a powerful reminder of the lasting impact that’s created when researchers work in partnership with communities to tackle and solve shared challenges. Such research captures the very heart of the mahi that we all strive to do.
Pou Matarua | Co-Director
- Professor Tahu Kukutai
- Professor Melinda Webber
Kōrero · News
Whakaaweawe grant round 2026 now closed
The Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) Whakaaweawe Impact & Transformation Grants support Māori researchers employed at NPM partner entities to achieve research outcomes and enable knowledge sharing activities that strengthen connections and promote research uptake, impact, and transformation.
Whakaaweawe supports activities that translate research into meaningful change for whānau, hapū, iwi, Māori organisations, and communities. Projects should demonstrate clear pathways to impact, transformation, and real-world application.