South island Māori researchers gather for first-ever symposium

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“The gathering was a landmark event as the first of its kind in the South Island and it showed the great increase of Māori researchers and the breadth of areas they were involved in.”

-Dr Rāwiri Taonui, Head of Māori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Canterbury

Twenty years ago there where only a handful of Māori researchers with PhDs in New Zealand. But you only needed to visit the Ngā Kete a Rēhua Inaugural Māori Research Symposium held at the University of Canterbury in September to see how much has changed.

Over 350 people came together from all over the South Island. Supported by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the conference heard from 16 keynote speakers, with over 100 academic papers presented on topics ranging from oral traditions to particle physics. Dr Rāwiri Taonui, Head of Māori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Canterbury and event organiser, says: “The gathering was a landmark event as the first of its kind in the South Island and it showed the great increase of Māori researchers and the breadth of areas they were involved in.”

As well as reaching wider audiences outside the main centres, Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga has expanded its contestable research fund to researchers nationwide. And in May the expanding number of participating research entities met in Wellington for the first time to ensure that they can all contribute to a strongly collaborative approach.

Dr Tracey McIntosh, Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Joint Director, says: “We are committed to increasing our links with Māori researchers all over New Zealand. Seeing so many other regions coming together is exciting for the future of Māori research in New Zealand and overseas.”