October 04, 2022
Conditions right for Kahungunu research push
A Māori leader at the Eastern Institute of Technology says its new Māori research centre is the first step towards getting researchers working in the region.
Te Kura i Awarua, which is based at the Taradale campus, opened last Tuesday.
Dr David Tipene-Leach, EIT’s professor of Māori and indigenous research, says iwi and hapu in Ngati Kahungunu are keen to develop Māori research capacity.
He says keeping people living and working in the rohe is a top priority.
“There’s three things you’re looking for is what you want to do is to increase capacity – a place to work from, some workers to do the job, and some good and well-funded projects to getup and running with and it seems all three of those things have come our way,” Dr Tipene-Leach says.
Initial research projects include work on health, food security, environmental challenges, as well as recording and archiving the history of hapū and iwi in the region.