Projects

This research project is creating a Digital Data Dashboard that links land blocks and sites with tūpuna and hapū names for the uri of Turora.

Kapa haka provides a space for cultural expression, physical movement, and identity development. But how can technology be used to develop accessible kapa haka-informed physical movement resources that promote cultural identity development and overall wellbeing for rangatahi and whānau Māori?

This project uses Kaupapa Māori theory to challenge the current dominant Western explanations for suicide, which fail to consider socio-cultural-political pressures and historical processes such as colonisation as core to Indigenous suicide.

Kauora is a whānau-derived theory and practice of swimming, developed through Raureti’s doctoral research, that redefines how whānau engage in kaupapa wai. This project supports its implementation by developing a data sovereignty policy for Ngāti Kapu to guide the protection and long-term sustainability of mātauranga, reo and whānau data gathered through this kaupapa in Ōtaki.

LiDAR technology offers unprecedented access to the whenua—capturing the contours of the landscape at fine detail and revealing wāhi tapu and heritage sites often lost under forest canopies or inaccessible locations. This research explores how hapū and iwi can utilise geospatial technologies like LiDAR to identify, connect-with, and enrich the management of, culturally significant sites.

Ebony’s PhD research will explore the contribution of Māori nurse practitioners and opportunities to transform Primary Healthcare services within Aotearoa.

Underpinned by a Kaupapa Māori methodological stance, this project seeks to undertake research at the interface of mātauranga Māori and surgery to produce resources that will practically improve care for whānau who have an apronectomy.

This research supports iwi-led, tikanga-informed innovation, grounded in Kaupapa Māori methodology. Through wānanga and co-design with Ngāti Tukorehe, the team is developing safe, solvent-free dye processes that respect tikanga and are reproducible in community settings.

This project explores how digital narratives of tohunga can be curated to support and enrich the multiliteracies of ākonga, particularly in Te Tai Tokerau. At its heart, Tohunga Talks is a collaborative digital storytelling initiative grounded in Te Tai Tokerau mātauranga tuku iho, Kaupapa Māori research approaches, and the Mana Model.

In collaboration with Te Weu Charitable Trust, this research seeks to address critical gaps in our understanding of climate change impacts and adaptation strategies specific to Māori communities in Te Tairāwhiti.

The project will explore the research question: What would a kaupapa Māori based social media platform for Māori communities and whānau look and feel like?  The research will involve engaging with a specific Māori community through wānanga/whakawhiti kōrero in order to ascertain the key elements required to develop it into a more Māori-specific and -friendly platform. 

The research project is analysing the WIPO’s proposal to develop databases of Indigenous Knowledge and genetic resources through a case study on mātauranga Māori innovations in papakāinga and assessing findings about novel mātauranga vis-à-vis existing and proposed domestic and international laws regarding data in registries.

Keita’s research is a qualitative case study on MANUKURA and sets out to explore what practices and/or principles are gained from the kura that support ākonga Māori in their educational aspirations. To achieve this, Keita is interested in the voices of raukura (graduates) of MANUKURA and their whānau, current senior ākonga and their whānau, kaiako, and key people who contributed to the early stages of developing this kura.

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.

Intern

Ocean Bartlett, Ngati Porou, Ngāpuhi, University of Canterbury

Supervisor

Adrienne Paul, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

The internship is provided as part of the prestigious NPM Borrin Foundation Legal Research Internship award.

Overview

This project examined the impact of the invasive freshwater gold clam on the mauri of Waiwaia and taonga species in the Waipā River. It assessed the species' role from a Te Ao Māori perspective and proposed culturally grounded responses for environmental protection.

This project investigated the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle on Māori and wider communities in Hawke’s Bay, highlighting the delayed government response. It explored how co-governance between Māori and local authorities could improve disaster preparedness and recovery planning.

Intern

Stacy-Ria Te Kurapa-King, University of Auckland

Supervisor

Dr Anneka Anderson, University of Auckland

Overview

This internship project was a targeted literature review adopting a Whakapapa research methodology to explore the facilitators and barriers of immunisation for tamariki Māori in NZ. 

This internship focused on the creation of a ‘supervisor’s package’ to support He Ara Pūkeko, an apprenticeship programme.

This internship created briefs for whānau Māori that explored what Māori Data Sovereignty is and why the protection of Māori data is important in today’s world of rapid technological advancement.