Mona-Lisa Wareka

I have been in, at and around the University of Waikato for the past ten years as a student, tutor, research assistant, tuakana/mentor, and teaching fellow. Since my last Graduate Stories post, I completed my MSocSc and a Diploma in Te Tohu Paetahi during the time of the pandemic, then began my PhD journey from the end of 2021. In terms of research interests, I am still very much interested in Rongoā Māori and wairuatanga/spirituality, Indigeneity and Indigenous anthropology, but in particular – as my PhD research pertains to – I have garnered an interest for ‘illegalised plant medicines’.