Is harakeke one key to a sustainable future for Aotearoa and, if it is, how do we utilise it to develop this sustainable future? This project is examining the interface between mātauranga Māori and ecological science related to harakeke. The case study focuses on Lake Whakaki, in the northern Hawke’s Bay, and explores what the current ecological condition…

How can local tangata whenua be empowered to make the best decisions for sustainable management of Northland’s brown kiwi, and how can the isolated kiwi populations from Ipipiri (Eastern Bay of Islands) be managed to maintain local whakapapa and reduce the negative impact of small population sizes and inbreeding? Management of taonga species is a costly and…

What mātauranga exists that can support our flora for their continued existence as taonga and how can Māori build their response capability to biological threats on taonga plant species? This project forms the benchmark for a larger, longer-term project aligned to mātauranga Māori and our traditional flora’s utility, past and present, with a particular…

Kia ū ki tau kawai whakapapa, kia matau ai, ko wai koe, e anga atu koe ki hea – Take ahold of your ancestral stem, so that you might know, who you are, and what direction you're going in. Can virtual reality technology promote engagement with the taiao and can we create research methods to assess the impact of virtual reality engagement with the taiao on…

What values do Māori use to shape their views around the use of bio-control agents to control both exotic and Indigenous species and to values, and how to they assign risk posed by the introduction of a bio-control agent and when is it deemed unacceptable? This project is examining Māori views on the contemporary use of biocontrol agents and exploring the…

What are the bases for Māori enterprise collaboration? How do Māori activate Indigenous entrepreneurial capabilities for collaboration and what forms do Māori enterprise collaborations take? By exploring Māori enterprise collaboration as a fundamental but challenging strategy for Māori economic development, this project identifies principles and models…

What current methods do Māori use to manage money? What financial products and services are likely to be effective for Māori and how might these be successfully implemented? What support can Māori organisations (including iwi) and the government provide to increase whānau financial literacy and savings? Poverty within many Māori communities is perpetuated…

This NPM Platform Project is building an understanding on how to build stronger, more connected iwi, through enhancing engagement with Māori governance entities. In Phase 1 of the research, we are exploring the approaches used by Māori governance entities to ask: how do Māori governance entities engage members regardless of where they’re living? In Phase 2…

This project explored how tamariki, rangatahi, and their whānau thrived in a changing world by supporting Māori wellbeing and success in diverse workplaces. Through research, interviews, and stakeholder input, it aimed to create a Māori-led Change Management Model and policy framework to foster sustainable incomes, cultural revitalisation, and balanced…

Resilient Legacies: Mānawa te Taonga Tuku Iho explored how Māori cultural treasures—taonga tuku iho—are used, valued, and commodified in Aotearoa’s rugby world. From haka to carved trophies, and digital taonga on the horizon, the project examines the impact on mana, mauri ora, and identity, and the cultural and commercial implications for Māori and rugby…

This project explored how Ngāti Kea/Ngāti Tuara are revitalising their role as kaitiaki of Horohoro maunga near Rotorua. Faced with ecological threats from pests and limited access control, the hapū is leading efforts to restore native biodiversity and protect culturally significant whenua. Their story sheds light on Māori approaches to achieving a…

This platform project explores how Māori-led taiao initiatives reconnect whānau and hapū with place, identity, and whakapapa. Through case studies, wānanga, and digital tools, the project examines the aspirations, processes, and outcomes of environmental mahi that strengthen connections between people and te taiao.