Victoria University of Wellington

In 2025, the Waitangi Tribunal marks 50 years since its founding. This new collection, edited by Carwyn Jones and Maria Bargh, will bring together Māori scholars to reflect on the Tribunal’s impactful work across key issues like whenua, awa, taonga, and rangatiratanga. It will highlight the enduring significance of Tribunal findings for Māori communities, despite ongoing challenges in government response.

Project Summary

The project builds on a case study, “Ko te whaea te takere o te waka: Māori mothers as navigators of change,” which examined Māori mothers as key change-makers for their whānau. 

This project explored how the Māori concept of tohu—environmental signs—could inform Antarctic research and stewardship. By weaving te ao Māori into international climate science, the research supported Indigenous-led approaches to recognising and responding to signs of change in Antarctica.

This project explored the intersection of te ao Māori and intellectual property law through a case study on the haka Ka Mate and the rights of Ngāti Toa Rangatira.
It critically examined the Haka Ka Mate Attribution Act 2014, questioning its effectiveness in protecting Ngāti Toa’s interests within current legal frameworks.

This internship focused on decolonisation in the context of Aotearoa’s child protection system.

This internship project examined the collision and contest of te ao Māori and the intellectual property system with respect to mātauranga Māori.