HERE-TURI-KŌKA | AUGUST 2023

This month the NPM whānau were thrilled to celebrate the news that our NPM Ruānuku Emeritus Professor Ngahuia Te Awekotuku (Te Arawa, Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Waikato) was elected as a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. The award of Companion—Ngā Takahoa a Te Apārangi - recognises outstanding leadership or sustained contributions to promoting and advancing science, technology, or the humanities in Aotearoa. As this article in Stuff notes, Ngahuia has a long list of boundary-breaking achievements – including being the first wahine Māori to earn a PhD from a New Zealand university, awarded in Tamatekapua in 1981.

Among her many achievements, Ngahuia developed and taught the first tertiary sector Māori and Pacific Art History programme to a PhD level, and helped to establish Women’s Studies as an academic discipline at Waikato and Auckland universities.

We are proud of Ngahuia’s visionary leadership and enduring contribution to Te Ao Māori and the humanities in Aotearoa. E te Māreikura, poho kereru katoa a Ngā Pae mō tēnei whakamānawa kua uwhia ki runga i a koe, ka tika. Tū mai rā hei iho pūmanawa mō ngā whakareanga wāhine haere ake nei, haere ake nei.

Also, don’t forget to register for the upcoming International Indigenous Climate Change Research Summit. Early bird registrations will open shortly. Keep an eye on the IICCRS website for updates on registrations and our exciting lineup of local and international keynote speakers.

Ngā Pou Matarua | Co-Directors

• Professor Tahu Kukutai
• Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora