Pae Ahurei

Awardee: Dan Hikuroa (Tainui, Ngati Maniapoto, Te Arawa), University of Auckland

The Awardee will undertake the Whakaaweawe Impact and Transformation Grant titled Te Waharoa Hīnātore.

Light has always carried meaning. Hīnātore, the soft glow found against Ranginui’s chest, in te moana whitiwhiti a Tangaroa, and sheltered within te wao nui a Tane, connects people to story, place and imagination. For Māori, hīnātore is both a physical phenomenon and a spiritual presence, embodied as an atua, whose light guides, inspires, and sustains connection between people, whenua and the cosmos.

Awardee: Dr Reuben Collier (Ngāti Porou, Rereahu-Maniapoto), Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

The Awardee will undertake the Whakaaweawe Impact and Transformation Grant titled Nga Taonga Tuku Iho.

He Rau Aroha: This book pays tribute to specific soldiers of the 28th Maori Battalion who gave their lives during the Battle of Cassino where they were killed in action. Each contributor began with a soldier's regimental number and carefully researched their story. Families of the soldiers were interviewed so their voices and memories could be told in the research.

Awardee: Uenukuterangihoka Jefferies (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngāti Awa, Te Whakatōhea), University of Auckland

This kaupapa Māori-informed study explores how fidgeting—small, repetitive movements often seen in people with wairangi ā-aronga (ADHD)—might be linked to patterns of brain activity and thinking. The research focuses on rangatahi and pakeke (16 years and older) in Tairāwhiti, with 40 participants: 20 with lived experience of wairangi ā-aronga and 20 neurotypical individuals, matched by age and gender.

Māori doctoral scholars often face significant challenges in universities dominated by Western academic traditions. These environments can clash with Māori cultural values and needs, reflecting colonial legacies that marginalise Indigenous knowledge and methodologies. To address these challenges, the Te Kupenga o MAI (MAI) programme was created in the late 1990s by Professor Graham Smith. This initiative supports Māori and Indigenous PhD students across Aotearoa New Zealand, providing mentorship, resources, and community connections grounded in Māori cultural values. MAI helps reduce isolation and creates culturally safe spaces for Māori scholars to succeed academically while maintaining their cultural identity.

This research focuses on understanding the long-term impact of the MAI programme by examining the experiences of recent Māori PhD graduates. It aims to explore their motivations, challenges, and the role MAI played in supporting them, as well as their career pathways and contributions to their communities after completing their studies. The findings will inform future efforts to support Māori doctoral scholars, ensuring they thrive in academia and contribute meaningfully to their whānau, hapū, iwi, and society.

This project focussed on expanding the conceptual lens of ADHD, focusing on traditional Māori narratives such as pūrākau and whakataukī to understand the Māori experience of ADHD and create an accommodating framework.

The project forms part of the wider initiative Manaakitia Te Reo: How Do We Support Assessments in Te Reo Māori, which aims to improve how tertiary institutions support and mark work submitted in Māori.