Projects

The research considers our whanaungatanga relationships and whakapapa connections to ngā rākau and ngāhere. This has led to the creation of a plant-based 16mm film developer, replacing the environmentally damaging Kodak D-76 chemicals.

Ahinata’s project engages with the experiences of wāhine and gender diverse Kāi Tahu, informed by iwi and gender specific contexts, in order to answer the question: How do we as wāhine and gender diverse Kāi Tahu learn about, become, and take care of ourselves, specifically in the areas of gender, sex, sexuality and body?

Arianna’s project demonstrates that connecting to the practice of pīkau where our tipuna carried their babies on their backs provides an active place to reclaim the strengths of our earliest parenting traditions as a metaphor for flourishing whānau. Through the metaphorical values framework and practice of pikau, Arianna’s research follows the collective postnatal and parenting journeys of whānau Māori living in the Otago region.

Simon’s research is concerned with the imposition of Western thought on Māori which has displaced our ways of knowing and being. Colonisation is most visible in the political and biophysical spheres, however, less apparent is the damage to the less tangible – a Māori metaphysics – which underpins relation to the world, and importantly, our ways of existing.

This research programme dives beneath the surface to expose how efforts to address racism in Aotearoa can be symbolic, sidelining Māori worldviews and limiting true transformation.

Led through a kaupapa Māori lens, this programme challenges narrow, imported definitions of racism and equity, and confronts how dominant systems create and maintain Māori ‘vulnerability’. It aims to reframe equity on Māori terms—grounded in rangatiratanga, Indigenous knowledge, and the realities of colonisation.

Project Summary

This project explores the barriers Māori whānau face in accessing disability funding through New Zealand’s Needs Assessment and Coordination system. Combining a literature review with interviews of whānau and Kaupapa Māori providers, the research aims to build strong relationships and develop a Kaupapa Māori equity-based tool. Ultimately, this will support a co-designed framework to improve fair and culturally appropriate funding for whaikaha Māori.

This research draws on mōteatea, whakataukī, and insights from Māori experts to illuminate the ethical foundations of Kaupapa Māori methodologies. By mapping these principles against Western theories, it guides culturally safe approaches for intergenerational trauma and Indigenous health research.

This internship explored the wellbeing benefits of daily karakia and waiata at the University of Canterbury, highlighting their role in fostering cultural connection and belonging.
Using a braided rivers methodology, the project captured staff and student experiences of these powerful tikanga Māori practices.

This internship explored Lake Karāpiro’s cultural narratives to support Māori holistic wellbeing and challenge colonial environmental views.
Using indigenous frameworks, the project contributed to decolonising health approaches and enriched understanding of environment–wellbeing connections.

This internship compiled a database of traditional Māori food preservation practices to better understand archaeological midden sites and mahinga kai history.
Working with Otago’s SPAR team, the project links historical knowledge with contemporary preservation techniques across Aotearoa.

This internship analysed how race and racism are framed in New Zealand’s social and traditional media around key issues like constitutional reform and Māori health.
Guided by a research team, the intern conducted manual content analysis to uncover overt and subtle expressions of racism.

This project investigated the linguistic features of te reo Māori in formal debates (tautohetohe) broadcast in the 1990s, supporting the development of Papa Reo—an Indigenous-led multilingual language research platform.

This project trialled a bush-ready acoustic sound lure, co-developed with Auroa School students, to help draw out remaining possums from hard-to-reach areas of the Kaitake ranges.
Supporting Taranaki Mounga Project and DOC’s pest eradication goals, this innovative tech aims to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and protect precious biodiversity.

This project advanced seagrass restoration in Aotearoa by building on new evidence that Zostera muelleri produces viable seeds, enabling less invasive restoration methods.
It supports large-scale recovery of these vital coastal ecosystems without harming existing seagrass meadows.

This internship examined how the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has influenced domestic law reforms, drawing lessons from Canada, Belize, and beyond.
It explored strategies for Indigenous peoples and civil society to advance rights within national and international legal frameworks.

This internship explored the wellbeing benefits of daily karakia and waiata at the University of Canterbury, highlighting their role in fostering cultural connection and belonging.
Using a braided rivers methodology, the project captured staff and student experiences of these powerful tikanga Māori practices.

This project explored how the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi align—or conflict—with the management of public reserves, through a case study of Waikouaiti Recreation Reserve in the Kāti Huirapa ki Puketeraki rohe.
Supervised by Dr Robin Quigg, the research involved historical analysis of land use, whakapapa, and pūrākau, contributing to the decolonisation of park spaces.

This project explored whānau-submitted narratives to understand the potential of whānau research in reclaiming knowledge, supporting healing, and navigating barriers.
The intern analysed submissions and reflected on how whakapapa-based methodologies foster intergenerational connection, resilience, and insight.

This internship supported the Whakarauora Project by researching traditional Whanganui pātaka practices to help revive customary fishing and storage methods.
Working with Te Morehu Whenua, the project contributes to cultural education and the restoration of taonga species management.