Professor Poia Rewi (Tūhoe, Ngāti Manawa, Te Arawa) has been appointed Deputy Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga 1 July 2018 - 31 December 2020.

Poia is Dean of Te Tumu, School of Māori, Pacific & Indigenous Studies, University of Otago, and a NPM Principal Investigator who has extensive research expertise in Indigenous language revitalisation, te reo me ngā tikanga Māori, Māori oratory, Māori performing arts and Māori history.

He has published extensively including as author of the award winning Whaikorero: The World of Māori Oratory (AUP, 2011) and as co-author of The Value of the Māori language: Te Hua o te Reo Māori (Huia, 2014).  

He has also worked collaboratively to create a series of innovative interactive Apps to learn te reo Māori (AKI), and has co-designed the innovative ZePA (Zero Passive Active) right shifting Māori language revitalisation model that is influencing the development of law, policy and practice.  Last month, Poia attended Minister Kelvin Davis’ think tank as part of a group of 12 Māori language experts to advance an ambitious plan for a bilingual Aotearoa. Link to story here

Co-Directors Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora and Professor Jacinta Ruru are thrilled to have this opportunity to work closer with Poia as part of the Research Leadership Team.