NPM Researcher Associate Professor Melinda Webber from the University of Auckland was elected a general councillor onto the Royal Society Te Apārangi Council in late May.

Melinda is a former Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar who has published widely on the nature of Māori identity. Her research examines the ways race, ethnicity, culture and identity impact the lives of young people, particularly Māori students.

NPM's Pūrongo Ā-Tau Annual Report was presented at NPM's May 2018 Board Meeting and Hui-ā-Tau (Annual General Meeting) in Otautahi - Christchurch at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha - University of Canterbury last week.

Over two days our Board and collectivised network of 21 partners gathered together with the NPM Research Leadership Team, Principal Investigators and MAI coordinators to discuss our ongoing work, review the past 12 months, and continue our plans for the future.

MAI Journal has recently welcomed a group of new editorial board members who will continue to guide and enhance the quality, reach and impact of the journal into the future.

The new members of the MAI Journal editorial board are:

Kei te kōwhatu turua e Murumāra.
E moe i te moenga roa o Hine Huhuritai
Tomokanga ki te pae-kawau o te pitoururangi he paenga purapura tuawhiti
 
Nāhau anō tō huanui ake i pōkai
Kia toi tū te reo taketake
Kia reo Māori a nuipuku rāua ko makiu
Takoto pū i te mōhio, whiua reretia ana ō whakaaweawe ki tēnā moka ki tēnā awaawa ki tēnā kōtihitihi
 
Nā reira, hoki atu rā e te rangatira
Whakarerea iho rā nga ahuatanga o tō mate
Hakoa he mate roa, kua mate ururoa
Mutunga iho, he koiora kura he koiora matapopore

Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga's 2017 Annual Report is now available online.

This report showcases the expansion of our partnerships, collaboration and success throughout 2017, with newly launched research and the ongoing development of our foundational research and seed and scope projects.

The 2018 Tohu Puiaki - Doctoral Completion Scholarships are now open.

This is the third year of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga's partnership to build capacity and capability in Māori language research and to support revitalisation.

The purpose of these scholarships is to provide financial assistance and support for doctoral candidates to complete their doctoral study in te reo Māori or on te reo Māori revitalisation, and thesis submission process.

Co-Director Professor Jacinta Ruru, was recently one of 20 Wāhine Toa to contribute to a roundtable discussion with Barack Obama, former President of the United States of America during his visit to Aotearoa in March 2018.   

Wāhine Toa were the only group in Aotearoa New Zealand to have this opportunity.  "It was an incredible experience to sit with a group of amazing Māori women leaders from around the country to share our hopes and aspirations for change”.  

The joint Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) and Royal Society Te Apārangi project, Te Takarangi - which is celebrating a sample historical to contemporary 150 Māori non-fiction books - has recently reached the 50 book milestone.

From 13 February 2018, one book has been profiled each day of the working week, with the 150th publication to be announced during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2018.  

Dr Ocean Mercier (Ngāti Porou) from Victoria University of Wellington has joined NPM’s Research Leadership Team (RLT) as co-theme leader Te Tai Ao, taking up the role alongside Professor Helen Moewaka Barnes.
 
Ocean is a Senior Lecturer at Te Kawa a Māui and a national Ako Aotearoa award winning Kaupapa Māori teacher, who has a PhD in Physics and specialises in teaching Te Pūtaiao Māori/Māori Science and Cultural Mapping.
 

MAI Journal has released - Volume 7, Issue 1 - its first issue for 2018.

This issue is available online, and with open access here.

It contains a number of articles covering a diverse range of research areas including kaupapa Māori film theory and Māori resistance in film history, young parenthood from a Māori perspective and highlights themed contributions with a particular focus on Whai Rawa: Research for Māori economies.