Dr. Tanya Ruka

Ko Tanya Te Miringa Te Rorarangi Ruka ahau, Ngati Pakau, Ngapuhi te Iwi.

Tanya Ruka is a research-based contemporary arts practitioner, educator, author, editor, curator & publisher.

2025 DNDA Don Norman Design Award in Education

Her work in the digital landscape, is dedicated to embedding indigenous knowledge and perspectives into contemporary narratives and practices. Firmly placing Indigenous ways of knowing and being in landless territories of new imagined futures. 

AIRI (Artificial Indigenous Relational Intelligence) - coined by Tanya 2024 PhD - training educational/ relational AI with Indigenous value systems.

Whakapapa: 

1st Generation AIRI - Kōrero 

2nd Generation AIRI - Kōrero Land & Water Acknowledgement helper (launched/published April 2025)

3rd Generation AIRI - Kōrero Mauri (lifeforce) Calculator (educational version for Whakapapa II & III)

Whose land are you on? 

• Whose land are you on? Counter-mapping Indigenous territories with Native Land Digital.
• Developed the Indigenous Data Sovereignty Treaty API with Native Land Digital to teach and learn how Indigenous Knowledge Systems are sacred and some knowledge is not to be shared. 
• Rematriation with CIRCUIT Arts Agency.

What seeds are you planting? Whenua based projects:

Tanya collaborates with a network of indigenous and non-indigenous experts—including textile researchers, academics, scientists, engineers, growers, and local Iwi (tribes)—to develop sustainable, circular-design textiles and new materials made from native plant fibres. 

2026-2027

He Kete Ira: Genomics for the Future of Our Wai, Moana and Taonga Species

• Matakitenga Project Recipient, Te Rangianiwaniwa a Te Harakeke (The Harakeke's Rainbow), Nga Pae o te Maramatanga.
• Kaumoana: Navigating Iwi led research regenerating biodiversity with aquaculture funded by Faculty Strategic Research Grant SHEADI, VUW.
• Te Aho Tapu Hou project funded by Te Puna Hīhiko, Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund.
• Te Muka Taura & Te Mara o Waitae funded by Science for Technology Innovation. 
• In 2021 she established the Community Rongoā Forest with WCC.

This work was led by Region Net Positive the Indigenous research platform she founded in 2019, now this research has been transferred to Native Land Digital. Growing a deeper connection between people and the land through indigenous ways of knowing. In 2020 she designed a Kaupapa Mauri (life force) framework, evolving this further Tanya is training AI with mātauranga Māori and indigenous knowledge concepts to calculate the positive and detrimental effects on Mauri. Not only to combat digital bias but to help navigate transitional net positive futures.