April 05, 2023
Projects seek to supercharge science with matauranga
The latest Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund round will support 16 projects from addressing whale strandings to cultivating fungi for high-value applications.
The fund administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment invests in projects designed to strengthen capability, capacity, skills and networks between Māori and the science and innovation system.
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Contestable investments manager Alan Coulson says by embracing mātauranga Māori alongside modern science, New Zealand grows its pool of knowledge, strengthens community connections, and makes room for a wider range of ideas and experiences.
A partnership between Massey University and Te Kauika Tangaroa Charitable Trust will look to combine generations of mātauranga Māori about whale strandings with decades of science-based veterinary practice and standards.
Wakatū Incorporation is working with Dr Simmon Hofstetter, Dr Mahonri Owen and the University of Otago to explore automation of production and harvesting of locally sourced fungi.
Otago Museum Trust Board and Te Rūnanga o Moeraki have teamed up to address the distinct knowledge gap regarding mātauraka tātai aroraki or astronomy for Kāi Tahu.
And Landcare Research Manaaki Whenua is working with Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust on a revised handbook reflecting cultural and ethnobotanical values of harakeke.
The full list of projects is at : https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/news/te-punaha-hihiko-funding-supports-maori-research