Ko Wai Matou | About Us
Our name - Ngā Wai a Te Tūī
Ngā Wai a Te Tūī, Māori and Indigenous Research Centre will provide kaupapa Māori research to support Indigenous innovation and Māori development. The name of this Centre was gifted by Dr Haare Williams, after a wānanga held on December 2018 about the proposed kaupapa of the Centre.
‘Ngā Wai a Te Tūī’ literally means ‘The waters of the Tūī’ and emphasises the importance of water to all living things, and connects us with the cultural waterways which our tupuna have protected for hundreds of years. In the cultural landscape of Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka, the spring Te Wai Unuroa o Wairaka reminds us of our rich storied past and the ways our knowledge systems are embedded in the stories of the land, water and sky. The ‘Tūī’ is the iconic native bird with repertoire of songs, that can be seen and heard in the harakeke of Te Rangimarie, located close to Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae.
Metaphorically, the name of our Centre also signals the ‘streams’ of expertise, disciplines and knowledge that is brought together to enable the Tūī (our whānau and communities) to flourish. In this regard, we are a multi-disciplinary kaupapa Māori research group that recognises that real-world research questions are not easily solved by one specific or particular discipline. Rather, a kaupapa Māori transdisciplinary approach requires a number of people from a range of areas to work together in a problem-solving research team.
Opening of Ngā Wai a Te Tūī
Ngā Wai A Te Tūī Māori and Indigenous Research Centre was opened with the blessing of Kaumātua, Staff and pupils of Unitec Institute of Technology and wider community members and colleagues on the 15th of February 2019. Ngā Wai A Te Tūī provides a focal point for Māori research expertise to engage with the Māori community for a team of Māori researchers to engage with research projects.
The name was gifted to the Research Centre head Dr Jenny Lee-Morgan and her team by Kaumātua Dr Haare Williams and symbolises the connection with the natural landscapes, waterways, animal life and flora and fauna that inspires the genesis of research ideas and kaupapa to explore.
“ Understanding that research has been a powerful tool of colonisation in the past, it is critical to progress Kaupapa Māori research today. “It helps re-frame how we’re talked about and referenced. It’s important that Māori are able to assert the Māori perspective and understand the true value of it” says Dr Lee-Morgan.
Through the centre’s research projects, the Centre is working to reclaim Mātauranga Māori — goals, aspirations and issues from an indigenous perspective — and using Māori concepts, knowledge, theories and practice to think about and solve contemporary issues in society that helps to address people’s needs, improve conditions, and enhance lives.
Dr Lee- Morgan is immensely proud of her launch team which includes prominent researchers Irene Kereama-Royal – Research Partner – Rangahau Maori and Development Tuapapa Rangahau, Rau Hoskins – Architecture Lecturer, Rihi Tenana – Researcher Tuapapa Rangahau and Dr Tia Reihana – Researcher Tuapapa Rangahau, but looks set to grow as they collaborate with others on more projects. Since opening, the Team have been honoured to appoint Ngāhuia Eruera as Office Manager, Jackie Paul Research Assistant and more recently Dr Leonie Pihama, an Associate Professor and acclaimed senior Māori Academic and also Wetini Paul as Research Administrator.
“It’s important to have Māori researchers involved because of their cultural connectedness and a belief that we can find answers to our problems” says Dr Lee Morgan.
In the short time since opening, the Centre has been engaged in a number of local, regional, national and international research events, presenting our research, having discussions with potential local research partnerships and seeking to develop international collaborations with other Indigenous researchers and their research centres.
For a detailed story including interviews with Professor Jenny Lee-Morgan, please click on the following link to read UNITEC Institute of Technology Research blog.
https://www.unitec.ac.nz/UnitecResearchBlog/new-kaupapa-maori-research-centre-at-unitec/
Te Manaaki o te Marae Research Project, BBHTC, NSC
The opportunity to establish the Ngā Wai a Te Tūī was premised on the success of the two-year (2017-2019) research project ‘Te Manaaki o te Marae’, funded by Kainga Tahi, Kainga Rua, Building Better Homes and Cities, National Science Challenge ($993,291). This collaborative project was co-led by Prof Jenny Lee-Morgan and Rau Hoskins, and brought together a large and diverse research team to investigate the role of marae in the Tāmaki housing crisis. This research project was based at Te Puea Memorial Marae (TPMM). Jenny Lee-Morgan has whakapapa connections to TPMM, a collaborative research relationship was developed that included the signing of a MoU between TPPM and Unitec.
Through the centre’s research projects, the Centre is working to reclaim Mātauranga Māori — goals, aspirations and issues from an indigenous perspective — and using Māori concepts, knowledge, theories and practice to think about and solve contemporary issues in society that helps to address people’s needs, improve conditions, and enhance lives.
“It’s important to have Māori researchers involved because of their cultural connectedness and a belief that we can find answers to our problems” says Dr Lee Morgan.
In the short time since opening, the Centre has been engaged in a number of local, regional, national and international research events, presenting our research, having discussions with potential local research partnerships and seeking to develop international collaborations with other Indigenous researchers and their research centres.
