Dr Awanui Te Huia
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Independent Kaupapa Māori Researcher
Associate Professor Awanui Te Huia (Ngāti Maniapoto) is a recipient of Ako Aotearoa Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching Award (Kaupapa Māori Category), recognising her outstanding contribution to reo Māori education and kaupapa Māori research at Te Herenga Waka; Victoria University of Wellington.
Her teaching is known for creating enjoyable, creative, and safe spaces that empower learners. Her teaching approach weaves together psychology, kaupapa Māori methods, and innovative tools to make te reo Māori accessible and inspiring for current and future learners. This nationally recognised Award affirms not only her academic excellence but also her passion for guiding Māori on their journey through to te reo Māori reclamation. She also creates environments where Pākehā learners of te reo Māori can engage in ways that are responsive to their environments and conducive for ongoing relationship development.
Rangahau · Related projects
Kia tōnui te reo Māori: Prosperous whānau, prosperous reo Māori, examines the conditions that support the growth, use, and intergenerational transmission of te reo Māori across whānau and communities in Aotearoa. The project focuses on four interconnected areas: te reo o te kāinga-Māori language use in the home, the role of social and community…
View projectKia tōnui te reo Māori – Prosperous whānau, prosperous reo Māori
Kia tōnui te reo Māori: Prosperous whānau, prosperous reo Māori, examines the
conditions that support the growth, use, and intergenerational transmission of te reo Māori across whānau and communities in Aotearoa. The project focuses on four interconnected areas: te reo o te kāinga-Māori language use in the home, the role of social and community relationships, effective language acquisition processes, and the development of practical resources to support reo Māori revitalisation.
Preliminary findings highlight that te reo o te kāinga, me te reo o te hapori is strongly influenced by a combination of factors. These include supportive whānau environments, access to Kaupapa-Māori education (an aspect highly limited in some hapori), strong social networks where te reo is normalised (including kaupapa that bring whānau with shared interests together), and opportunities to use the language in meaningful, low-pressure contexts. Our research also reinforces the importance of addressing broader structural conditions, such as economic stability, time availability, and experiences of racism, all of which continue to have an impact on prospective reo learners, active learners, and users of te reo.
Our early findings indicate that te reo tuku iho is most possible when whānau are supported not only with language learning tools, but also with strategies that strengthen relationships, reduce anxiety, and create sustainable language practices in everyday life. We also note the importance of friendships in helping to sustain te reo across contexts.
Ētahi atu · Other people
Professor Ana Magdalena Hurtado
Arizona State University, USA
Ana Magdalena Hurtado is a professor in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Affiliate Faculty member…
Professor Ana Magdalena Hurtado
Dolores Figueroa Romero
CIESAS, Mexico
Dr. Dolores Figueroa Romero is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center of Advanced Studies in Social Anthropology and…