Whakauae research celebrates a milestone achievement this year in offering both a PhD and Master’s Pae Tawhiti scholarship. The Pae Tawhiti scholarship, named for the whakataukī uttered by Dr Whakaari TeRangitakuku (Rangi) Mete-Kingi of Ngāti Hauiti: “Ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata, whakamaua kia tīna”. It is our premier scholarship, and this year, it is a privilege to announce that both awardees whakapapa to Ngāti Hauiti.
These scholarships embody Whakauae Research’s commitment to support Māori student development, emerging researchers, and fostering new Māori leadership in the field of Māori and Indigenous research. Whakauae has a long history of building skills and expertise for Māori researchers, and the ability to support Ngāti Hauiti researchers strengthens our strategic and aspirational vision to build capacity and capability for Māori research within Te Ranga Tupua and beyond.
Meretini Bennett-Huxtable (Ngā Iwi Nui Tonu o Mōkai Pātea, T eĀtihaunui a Pāpārangi, Ngāti Rangi, Tainui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga) is a PhD student at Auckland University of Technology. Her research focuses on how Indigenous knowledge systems, particularly Māori oral traditions and Te Maramataka, foster a healing connection between whānau and their environment in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Her work is deeply informed by her relationships to the rohe, and aligns with the work of Whakauae in seeking to grow wellbeing for whānau Māori. She is the inaugural PhD recipient of this award, and testimony to the development of an emerging research prowess within Ngāti Hauiti more broadly, having been involved in independent research for more than a decade.
Meretini shared these words about what this research and scholarship means to her:
“As a proud mokopuna of Mōkai Pātea Nui Tonu,Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Tamatereka, my journey is deeply rooted in the values and knowledge of my tūpuna. My commitment to Māori research is driven by a profound sense of reciprocity, honouring the whakapapa that connects us to our whenua, our people, and our collective wellbeing. Through my mahi in innovation and research, I have witnessed firsthand the disparities our whānau face and have dedicated myself to exploring Indigenous knowledge systems as transformative solutions. This scholarship will enable me to deepen this work, supporting my doctoral studies and the kaupapa I serve by fostering meaningful research, wānanga, and collaboration. With this support, I can contribute to sustainable solutions that uplift Māori health and wellbeing, ensuring the wisdom of our ancestors informs the future of our people.”
Kelsey O’Connor (Ngāti Hauiti, Inia) is a Master’s student at Massey University. Grounded within Mana Wahine, her project looks at decolonising mainstream understandings of gender to expand the possibilities for wāhine Māori today.
She says her 'why' for her research and journey into Māori health spaces is her “whānau and communities, coupled with my interest in psychology and passion for supporting systemic change. Only seeing deficit-based narratives and prejudiced/harmful rhetoric in mainstream spaces lit a fire in me to support changing our narratives - to make them truthful, contextualised and celebratory - and nurture our younger generations to be proud of their whakapapa. I have seen (and continue to see) the system failing our whānau and allowing us to slip through cracks, and [I] know we still urgently need to see more Māori in public health spaces to affect any change. I want my research to support the growing movement that is (re)defining who wāhine Māori are from wāhine Māori perspectives, and remind our communities of just how amazing we are, how diverse our realities are, and how lucky we are to be wāhine”
As a psychology student, Kelsey is interested in growing wellbeing through decolonising wellbeing and practice. She also recently completed the first year of reo rūmaki at Te Wānanga o Raukawa. Kelsey is due to submit her master’s thesis at the end of this year.
Kelsey had these words to share about her research and what the scholarship means to her:
“The Pae Tawhiti scholarship significantly changes theway I'm able to go about my research and thesis for my hand-in year. Withfinancial constraints reduced, I am better able to entrench tikanga in everyaspect of my research, truly manaaki the wāhine involved and produce thehighest quality of research that I possibly can - research I will be deeplyproud of. For my first time conducting independent research, the opportunity toshowcase and present my work to groups who I may not have otherwise been ableto access is invaluable. Gaining support from/opportunities to connect withwonderfully knowledgeable and highly experienced tangata Māori already wellversed in te ao rangahau is crucial for me as well.”
Whakauae research celebrates a milestone achievement this year in offering both a PhD and Master’s Pae Tawhiti scholarship. The Pae Tawhiti scholarship, named for the whakataukī uttered by Dr Whakaari TeRangitakuku (Rangi) Mete-Kingi of Ngāti Hauiti: “Ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata, whakamaua kia tīna”. It is our premier scholarship, and this year, it is a privilege to announce that both awardees whakapapa to Ngāti Hauiti.
These scholarships embody Whakauae Research’s commitment to support Māori student development, emerging researchers, and fostering new Māori leadership in the field of Māori and Indigenous research. Whakauae has a long history of building skills and expertise for Māori researchers, and the ability to support Ngāti Hauiti researchers strengthens our strategic and aspirational vision to build capacity and capability for Māori research within Te Ranga Tupua and beyond.
Meretini Bennett-Huxtable (Ngā Iwi Nui Tonu o Mōkai Pātea, T eĀtihaunui a Pāpārangi, Ngāti Rangi, Tainui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga) is a PhD student at Auckland University of Technology. Her research focuses on how Indigenous knowledge systems, particularly Māori oral traditions and Te Maramataka, foster a healing connection between whānau and their environment in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Her work is deeply informed by her relationships to the rohe, and aligns with the work of Whakauae in seeking to grow wellbeing for whānau Māori. She is the inaugural PhD recipient of this award, and testimony to the development of an emerging research prowess within Ngāti Hauiti more broadly, having been involved in independent research for more than a decade.
Meretini shared these words about what this research and scholarship means to her:
“As a proud mokopuna of Mōkai Pātea Nui Tonu,Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Tamatereka, my journey is deeply rooted in the values and knowledge of my tūpuna. My commitment to Māori research is driven by a profound sense of reciprocity, honouring the whakapapa that connects us to our whenua, our people, and our collective wellbeing. Through my mahi in innovation and research, I have witnessed firsthand the disparities our whānau face and have dedicated myself to exploring Indigenous knowledge systems as transformative solutions. This scholarship will enable me to deepen this work, supporting my doctoral studies and the kaupapa I serve by fostering meaningful research, wānanga, and collaboration. With this support, I can contribute to sustainable solutions that uplift Māori health and wellbeing, ensuring the wisdom of our ancestors informs the future of our people.”
Kelsey O’Connor (Ngāti Hauiti, Inia) is a Master’s student at Massey University. Grounded within Mana Wahine, her project looks at decolonising mainstream understandings of gender to expand the possibilities for wāhine Māori today.
She says her 'why' for her research and journey into Māori health spaces is her “whānau and communities, coupled with my interest in psychology and passion for supporting systemic change. Only seeing deficit-based narratives and prejudiced/harmful rhetoric in mainstream spaces lit a fire in me to support changing our narratives - to make them truthful, contextualised and celebratory - and nurture our younger generations to be proud of their whakapapa. I have seen (and continue to see) the system failing our whānau and allowing us to slip through cracks, and [I] know we still urgently need to see more Māori in public health spaces to affect any change. I want my research to support the growing movement that is (re)defining who wāhine Māori are from wāhine Māori perspectives, and remind our communities of just how amazing we are, how diverse our realities are, and how lucky we are to be wāhine”
As a psychology student, Kelsey is interested in growing wellbeing through decolonising wellbeing and practice. She also recently completed the first year of reo rūmaki at Te Wānanga o Raukawa. Kelsey is due to submit her master’s thesis at the end of this year.
Kelsey had these words to share about her research and what the scholarship means to her:
“The Pae Tawhiti scholarship significantly changes theway I'm able to go about my research and thesis for my hand-in year. Withfinancial constraints reduced, I am better able to entrench tikanga in everyaspect of my research, truly manaaki the wāhine involved and produce thehighest quality of research that I possibly can - research I will be deeplyproud of. For my first time conducting independent research, the opportunity toshowcase and present my work to groups who I may not have otherwise been ableto access is invaluable. Gaining support from/opportunities to connect withwonderfully knowledgeable and highly experienced tangata Māori already wellversed in te ao rangahau is crucial for me as well.”
