Thursday 27 March 2014

The value and future of Māori research in New Zealand was the subject of a national workshop at the University of Auckland last week.

The workshop was held following the Government’s shock decision to terminate funding for New Zealand’s only Māori Centre of Research Excellence, Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM). Over 200 people gathered; senior community leaders, community representatives, senior researchers and academics, and politicians to discuss the value and consider the future of Māori research. Māori research in this context refers to research driven by Māori communities concerning these needs and opportunities –with high Māori involvement, underpinned by but not exclusively utilising Māori knowledge, methodologies and approaches.

Speakers included Board Chair, Sir Tipene O’Regan, Professor Sir Mason Durie, Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi, Associate Professor Leonie Pihama, and Professor Charles Royal who all spoke of the need for Māori research and its benefits to Māori communities. Dr Marama Muru Lanning, Tiopira McDowell and Natalie Coates spoke of their experiences as students who were supported by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. In the case of Ms Coates, she completed a Master in Laws at the Harvard University Law school supported by a Fulbright NZ award funded by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Māori Party and Mana Party leader, Hone Harawira.

The value of this research is to create new knowledge, new understandings, new theories about questions while using Māori principles, distinct approaches and methods and a dual knowledge systems perspective that provides a unique, more relevant and robust knowledge and answers to needs and opportunities facing Māori communities and thus the nation. Accordingly, the goals of Māori research are national goals.
NPM is considered internationally as the benchmark Indigenous Development Research Centre, therefore New Zealand is recognised as a world leader in indigenous research and affairs.

The academic and Māori research community and its stakeholders, including Minsters, Iwi authorities and communities themselves will not and are not allowing Māori research to step back. It is the right of Māori and New Zealand for Māori to establish their research needs and unique robust benefit from research that involves and is relevant to them and national goals.

It was unanimously asserted there is NO compromise – Māori research must and will be funded. The workshop discussed strategies and options to ensure this, including: a judicial review of the Royal Society of NZ assessment process, resulting in the decision to not to fund NPM post 2015; filing a claim with the Waitangi Tribunal as the action of not supporting Māori research is a breach of the treaty; and establishing a separate national institute that is permanently supported and funded. Investment in Māori research, not that just on Māori or with relevance to Māori, but Māori led research, is minimal compared to other areas and a permanently funded Māori research entity must be established.

Key Point Summary
• Maori communities are critically important to the future of NZ.
• The goals of Māori communities are therefore equally NZ national goals.
• Accordingly, the future of Māori research is inextricably linked to the future of New Zealand.
• We are on the cusp of a new era of development.
• The challenges we face are complex. Focus is required to gain clarity from the complexity and some specific challenges include:
• Construction of a model of development where economic, social, cultural and environmental priorities can be identified and integrated into a holistic framework which accords with Iwi and Māori aspirations, contemporary realities, the national good, and global trends.
• Ensuring that Māori leadership is able to make wise decisions based on community priorities and information derived from mātauranga Māori and other relevant systems of knowledge
• Creating opportunities where Māori can flourish as Māori and to link programmes and policies with best possible outcomes for Māori and for Aotearoa
• Research is integral to realising those challenges and the opportunities
• Maori research is also critical to ensure the success and achievement of Māori in higher education and scholarship, providing the basis for future Māori research and leadership.

To view the full videos of this hui please visit http://mediacentre.maramatanga.ac.nz/content/future_maori_research_2014

Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) is a Centre of Research Excellence consisting of 16 participating research entities and hosted by the University of Auckland. NPM conducts research of relevance to Māori communities and is an important vehicle by which New Zealand continues to be a key player in global indigenous research and affairs. Its research is underpinned by the vision to realise the creative potential of Māori communities and to bring about positive change and transformation in the nation and wider world. Visit www.maramatanga.ac.nz
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MEDIA: for more information, contact:
Mike Hennessy
Communications Advisor
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand's Indigenous Centre of Research Excellence
Tel: +64 9 923 4217 Email: comms@maramatanga.ac.nz
Waipapa Marae Complex, University of Auckland