Wairoa Marae in the Far North has hosted the opening of a new Ngāti Kuri research centre which aims to develop cultural, environmental and well-being initiatives for the betterment of the iwi.
Te Ara Whānui Research Centre director Tammy Tauroa said they had a number of research projects going on at the moment as well as newly emerging projects. Concerns included taonga extinction and climate change.
“We have three main research themes around matauranga, kainga, and the other around taiao.”
This was the first kaupapa rangahau hui for their whanau, giving them the opportunity to connect to and korero whakapapa, wananga and hui while providing access to research pathways, co-producing and collaborating across a range of voices from rangatahi to kaumatua.
“We are really excited that this is our first hui, and we hope for many more to come.”
Tauroa suggested that if people missed the hui or wananga, they could visit Te Ara Whānui virtually on its website, which would provide all the information about wananga and other upcoming opportunities being hosted in the centre.
“We are calling for our whānau interested in research to come forward to build our research directorate, because we want to provide direct pathways for our whānau into research.”
Tauroa said they had a new wave of people and researchers coming through and were striving to honour the kaupapa that the legacy of researchers from Ngāti Kuri's past endeavours had left.
“I think of the bold vision. I think about the hard work it must have taken in really trying times. I think we are now in a trying time in response to climate change and what we think about climate justice."