Pae Auaha

This internship explored the emerging field of Māori data governance, focusing on unmet needs within current data systems. The project unpacked Te Kāhui Raraunga’s Māori Data Governance Model and repackaged its components into practical formats—including FAQs, presentations, and social media-ready content—to support wider understanding and application across iwi and communities.

How do we protect our data as Māori? This internship explored Māori data sovereignty—what it means, how it’s practiced, and why it matters. Through a series of easy-to-understand research briefs, the project supports whānau Māori to better understand and navigate issues like facial recognition technology and the future of our digital information.

This internship created briefs for whānau Māori that explored what Māori Data Sovereignty is and why the protection of Māori data is important in today’s world of rapid technological advancement.

This internship aim was to scope the possibilities hapū, iwi and Māori organisations have to exercise Māori data sovereignty over electoral roll data, collected compulsorily about Māori for the administration of the electoral rolls by the Electoral Commission.

This research supported Te Whakatōhea's vision of mana Māori motuhake through a focus on kai sovereignty and climate resilience. The intern gathered and analysed mōteatea recordings relating to kai, contributing to the iwi’s Tohe Ora Wānanga Whenua programme. The project informed efforts to reconnect whānau with their whenua and promote maara kai for improved iwi wellbeing.

Savannah’s research aims to compile mātauranga of whare tikanga (Māori building practises) to understand the processes and practices involved in customary whare Māori (Māori buildings) construction.