The new head of Victoria University of Wellington’s Te Kawa a Maui School of Maori Studies says she will champion critical thinking among staff and students.
Dr Maria Bargh replaces Professor Rawinia Higgins, who has been appointed the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Maori).
She says Te Kawa a Maui wants its students and academics to study Maori alongside other disciplines within the university so they become equipped to look at all aspects of Maori culture, heritage and language within different settings.
Its connection with the capital city means it also has relationships with Maori politicians, ministries and national Maori organisations.
Dr Bargh, who has Te Arawa and Ngati Awa connections, started lecturing at Victoria in 2004 after a PhD at Australian National University in Canberra, and working at Ngati Awa Research and Archives Trust and Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi in Whakatane.
Her personal areas of research are Maori politics, Maori economy and resource management.
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