Dr. Kiri West

Ko Moehau te maunga, ko Tikapa te moana, ko Waihou te awa, ko Matai Whetu te marae, ko Ngāti Whaanga te hapū, ko Ngāti Maru (ki Hauraki) te iwi. Tihei Mauriora.

I am an Indigenous researcher, kaupapa Māori theoriser, Communication lecturer and a reluctant storyteller. My research background includes Māori data sovereignty, tikanga and technology and research ethics. In an increasingly digitised world, I am interested in the ways in which we can give meaning to the above fields through the telling of our own stories. I draw on storytelling as a method of sense-making, particularly through the treasured stories of my great grandmother. These narratives provide both grounding and direction for my work, showing how Māori Data Sovereignty is not only about infrastructure and governance but also about whakapapa, memory, and the continuation of our own ways of knowing.

My primary field of research is Māori Data Sovereignty, with a focus on how tikanga Māori can guide the governance, use, and futures of data. This encompasses the responsibilities of institutions such as universities and government agencies, as well as the aspirations of iwi, hapū, and Māori communities for data that upholds mana and mauri. I have concentrated on questions of institutional accountability, Indigenous models of governance, and the ways Māori values can be embedded into digital and technological systems.

Currently, my work explores both national and international approaches to Indigenous Data Governance, situating Māori experiences within a broader global context. This encourages me to collaborate with Indigenous scholars and communities across disciplines, including Communication, Technology, and Policy. My research seeks to transform how data is understood and managed in Aotearoa and beyond, ensuring Māori voices and tikanga shape the paradigms and practices of data governance.