Back to Blog

From not knowing his iwi,

Ross Calman began his quest to learn te reo Māori after finding a manuscript about his tipuna Te Rauparaha when “going off task” in the Canterbury University library in the 1990s.Thirty years later, the same university is awarding Calman, one of the country’s leading Māori history scholars, an honorary degree in recognition for his work revitalising te reo Māori as a researcher, translator, writer and editor.Calman (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāi Tahu) will receive an honorary doctor...

Fact checking Marama Davidson's 'white cis men' claims

What’s the issueGreen Party co-leader Marama Davidson has made headlines for a comment she made at a rally at the weekend: “I am a violence prevention minister and I know who causes violence in the world, it is white, cis men.”Davidson was among hundreds protesting British anti-transgender activist known as Posie Parker, who then cancelled planned events and left the country.The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence made the comments when questioned by the host of a far...

Corrections' recruitment ads give 'harmful' stereotypes of Māori, Pasifika

Awatchdog has upheld complaints about two television ads for the Department of Corrections because the advertisements are "likely to be offensive and harmful".The first recruitment ad for Corrections included a young Māori boy speaking to the camera about how he "already knew dad went to prison". The boy, referring to a Corrections officer, goes on to say it was "all thanks to him that dad's got a good job now and so, yeah, [I] might become a Corrections officer one day too".A second complained...

Report reveals thousands meant for Kapa Haka trip

The Auditor-General has found two schools splashed out several thousand dollars on gifts and a leaving do for outgoing principals.The 2021 nationwide schools audit found Waiuku College spent $1527 on a gift and $6909 on leaving ceremonies to farewell its former principal.“The board also used funds that were originally raised for a kapa haka trip,” the report said.“The farewell gift exceeded the school’s gift policy, and the amount spent for the leaving ceremonies was relatively high for ...

Wayne Knox: National Māori Housing Conference

“We have come too far, not to go further. We have done too much, not to do more.”As we head into the seventh biennial National Māori Housing Conference tomorrow, these timeless words of Sir James Henare aptly describe where we are in our journey to address the housing crisis in Aotearoa. Although current efforts by the Māori housing sector and government are significant and headed in the right direction, they must be sustained to successfully turn the tide of this crisis.The first National...

The student with a plan to burn forestry slash

Student Karan Titus has an idea to create more of what we need – electricity – and less of what we don’t need: carbon dioxide and slash.Leaving slash on forestry blocks is increasingly risky as climate change unleashes wilder storms. His proposal would send the wood waste to geothermal power factories, where it would be burned to create electricity.The carbon dioxide produced from the flames would be mixed into the geothermal water and sent back underground, making the process “carbon ne...

Why we should embrace

In NZ the long shadow of colonial overlay is reflected in the endurance of names with little bearing to the land, its stories or peopleOpinion: Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board (Pou Taunaha) has made decisions that were confirmed by the Minister for Land Information on seven names for new central and south Auckland railway stations. Notably Pou Taunaha officially altered Britomart Station to Waitematā Railway Station. Unsurprisingly, there have been mixed reactions.Peopl...

Homelessness, housing insecurity

Māori homelessness is firmly anchored in colonisation and the rapid alienation of Māori land, destruction of their economic base, among other things, a study has shown.The kaupapa Māori research by academic Dr Keri Rose Lawson-Te Aho found that homelessness and access to healthy, secure and affordable housing were systemic challenges faced by whānau across Aotearoa.The study also revealed that the demise of Māori worldviews and oppression of Māori during the colonial period of New Zealand�...

Auckland Council cancels venue for anti co-governance meeting

The meeting, organised by evangelist Julian Batchelor, was one of many scheduled around the country for the next five months.At least four venues have now been cancelled, derailing some of these planned events.Protesters have been turning up in droves over several weeks, claiming his talks are racist, hostile and full of misinformation.Batchelor has rejected the claims, saying on his website that co governance is "a plan by radical tribal representatives to take over New Zealand".Link to article...

Whānau releases letter

Editor's note: Former NZDF solider Kane Te Tai died last month while defending Ukraine against invasion from its easterly neighbour Russia. Various stories of Te Tai's heroism have emerged including him saving the life of a man who had  been starved and shot four times by Russian forces.His whānau have released the following letter penned by Kane before his death, explaining why he went to Ukraine.Not that I think that I'll be in the news, or worthy of being in the news, but...

Lawyer slams Oxford English Dictionary

A leading Māori intellectual property lawyer is criticising the inclusion of kupu Māori in the Oxford English Dictionary.The dictionary's publishers announced earlier this month they would include dozens of words in te reo Māori in its latest update.Koha (gift or offering), kōrero (conversation), and e hoa (friend) are among the words added because, the dictionary said, they are some of the te reo Māori words adopted by Kiwis and have had a "profound and lasting impact" on the way we s...

Drop in school-leavers receiving UE, high employment,

North Island universities are blaming high employment and a drop in school-leavers with University Entrance for a big fall in enrolments by New Zealand students.All five North Island universities told RNZ they had started the year with fewer full-time-equivalent domestic students than the same time last year.The drop was trivial at Waikato, but significant at the remaining four institutions.The two South Island institutions that shared their figures with RNZ, Canterbury and Lincoln, reported inc...

Law change aims to lift 14,000 children

The Government has introduced a law change that will see more child support passed onto solo parents rather than used to offset their benefits.Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is speaking about the change at his weekly post-Cabinet press conference, ahead of April 1, when other increases to benefits, superannuation and the minimum wage go ahead.About 1.4 million New Zealanders will have more money in their pockets in the coming weeks, including community nurses whose pay bump comes into force this w...

School's out: Term one a rough start for education

Most Kiwi schools were back by the first week of February, which coincided with the clean-up following flooding in Auckland and Northland.Ministry of Education data shows that on Tuesday February 7, attendance was at 87.7% in the Auckland education region."Attendance on this day may have been impacted by the severe flooding in Auckland the previous week," the ministry says.Following January's Auckland Anniversary weekend floods, the Education Ministry ordered all the city's schools, kura, early ...

Hawke’s Bay Stop Co-Governance meeting cancelled;

A Stop Co-Governance meeting has been cancelled after the chair of Ngāti Kahungunu sent an open letter urging the Havelock North Function Centre not to host the meeting of the controversial political movement it accuses of amplifying “hateful rhetoric” towards Māori.The Stop Co-Governance Tour, which has already been subject to protests and controversy at venues in other New Zealand cities, was due to convene at the centre on May 17.Another Hawke’s Bay meeting is pencilled in for May 15 ...

The Haka Party Incident Returns To Tāmaki Makaurau

Following its renowned sold-out premiere season in 2021 The Haka Party Incident is finally back by popular demand at Te Pou Theatre, Henderson from 8-11 June 2023, ahead of a 6-centre national tour.Provocative, resonant, and joyfully unforgettable, The Haka Party Incident innovatively combines documentary and Kapa Haka to thrilling effect. Awarded Best Play by a Māori Playwright as well as The Dean Parker Adaptation for Non-Fiction Award, (2021 Adam New Zealand) the production is a not-to-be-mi...

Managed retreat:

Overseas experts in managed retreat say the owners of the worst damaged properties in recent extreme storms in New Zealand must get a seat at the decision-making table about possible red zones.The government, the Cyclone Taskforce, insurers and local council officials are hashing out whether communities need to abandon some places after the catastrophic cyclone and Auckland Anniversary flooding.Read: RNZ's previous story speaking to Aotearoa managed retreat experts after the recent stormsLand sw...

Ngāti Pūkenga

Ngāti Pūkenga have launched a digital history of their iwi, from the first arrival of their tīpuna in Aotearoa, all the way through their Treaty Settlement to the present day.The stories were launched yesterday to coincide with the iwi's Hui Ahurei, and feature 27 videos and 10 podcasts showcasing the history of each Ngāti Pukenga kāinga.They are told through the kōrero of their descendants, and featuring interviews with iwi leaders and key members involved in treaty negotiations.The four ...

Iwi, hapū look to history for renaming

Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa and Ngāti Te Whiti hapū have revealed the new name and facade of a prominent New Plymouth building.For the past nine months the Atkinson Building on Devon Street West has been under wrap while it was strengthened and refurbished.Representatives of Te Atiawa and Ngāti Te Whiti hapū revealed the new name - Ngāmotu House - at a ceremony at the site this week.It recognises an old hapū which resided in the area before Ngāti Te Whiti of today.Link to article: Iwi...

Five years of Te Papa's Toi Art gallery:

Art and. That’s how Te Papa chief executive Courtney Johnston describes the holdings and role of the national museum.This year, its newest art gallery, Toi Art, turns five. Opened in 2018 by then prime minister Jacinda Ardern, the $8.4 million space, spanning two levels of the museum, was part of a major renewal of the museum’s exhibition spaces and offered 35% more floor space for art.The gallery and Te Papa more broadly had been driven by the motivation that “art is for everyone”, Arde...

Business working with Māori landowners

A company working with Māori landowners is using forestry as a way to create cash flow for farmers and help restore forests of native trees.Tāmata Hauhā works with Māori landowners all over New Zealand to plant trees on marginal country that is too steep or erosion prone for farming.It offers advice and pays for everything, including clearing land, pest control and seedlings, then shares the carbon net profit 50-50.The organisation held an opening for its new premises in Marton, Rangitīkei ...

The winding River Road

Residents of Whanganui and the surrounding districts from all walks of life set foot on the winding Whanganui River Road on Saturday to promote health and fitness.Ka Waewae Tātahi O Te Awa Tupua is an annual river relay hosted by Te Whawhaki Trust, a subsidiary of Te Ōranganui, a Whanganui iwi-led organisation that improves the access and service delivery of health services.The aim of Ka Waewae Tātahi O Te Awa Tupua is to provide awareness around health, staying fit and enjoying a day out wit...

Speak no Maori

Link to video: Speak no Maori | Māori Television (maoritelevision.com)...

WATCH: Welsh Guy Praised For Doing His Entire Citizenship

A Welsh man is being dubbed 'the man' for completing his citizenship ceremony fully in te reo Māori.The clip, posted to TikTok by his wife Katie, has amassed over 100k views since it was posted last month and a whole bunch of comments supporting one of Aotearoa’s newest citizens.“My partner did his citizenship ceremony in Te Reo!” Katie wrote in the caption. “I feel like he did excellent.”Link to video and article: WATCH: Welsh guy praised for doing his entire citizenship ceremon...

Newshub Nation: National polytechnic merger Te Pūkenga

There are serious concerns about the management of Te Pūkenga as it asks for more money for I.T. systems while course completions are plummeting and some enrolments are down.January 1st, 2023, marked the official start of Te Pūkenga, the new national polytech and institute of technology conglomerate. In 2019, then-Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the merger would be "transformational," but as it unfolded, it did not meet the Minister’s expectations.Link to video and article: N...