The past month has been an extremely busy one at NPM with our network being in full planning mode for the upcoming virtual 10th International Indigenous Research Conference (IIRC22) and MAI Doctoral Conference, both in November.
 
We had a fantastic response to our call for abstracts for IIRC22 with more than 170 submissions received from Aotearoa and abroad, and covering a vast range of disciplines. We are incredibly grateful to our Abstracts Review Committee who went through each and every one of them: Associate Professor Margaret Forster (Rongomaiwāhine, Ngāti Kahungunu), Dr Te Rita Papesch (Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue), Dr Tūmanako Ngāwhika Fa’aui (Ngāti Whakahemo, Ngāti Uenukukopako, Ngāti Te Roro o te Rangi, Te Arawa), Dr Deborah Heke (Ngāti Hineira me Te Uritaniwha), Associate Professor Maree Roche (Raukawa) and Associate Professor Mohi Rua (Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Whakaue). Ngā mihi nunui ki a koutou!
 
We have also had a huge amount of interest in our MAI doctoral conference, the first in-person one to be held since 2020. The conference is an opportunity for emerging Māori scholars and leaders to present papers, discuss key kaupapa, and deepen bonds. NPM Pou Rautaki Dr Hinekura Smith has done an incredible job pulling it together, assisted by the team at

Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka | Unitec. Places are capped at 150 and organised through the MAI co-ordinator network. The conference will be held at Unitec, 17 – 20 November.

Later in this e-pānui you can read more about the ten successful PhD scholarship recipients who will join NPM’s highly successful Māori Futures Programme. We are thrilled to be supporting their rangahau which covers diverse topics from hapū data sovereignty and utilising mātauranga to guide biomedical research, to wāhine Māori leaders in governance and culturally safe spaces for Māori nurses.
 
Finally, we acknowledge the recent passing of Maanu Paul ONZM (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Manawa) whose many decades of contribution to Te Ao Māori included critical work undertaken for the New Zealand Māori Council, leading national debates on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and involvement in Te Tiriti negotiations.  
 
Moe mai rā e te rangatira, moe mai, moe mai rā.

Ngā Pou Matarua | Co-Directors

• Professor Tahu Kukutai
• Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora