The International Indigenous Research Conference (IIRC) took place at Waipapa Taumata Rau (University of Auckland) from November 12 to 15, 2024. The event attracted over 600 participants. The conference theme, “Whītiki Taua” (research solidarities), brought Indigenous communities and nations together to present their research projects, encouraging reflection, sharing, and inspiration.
Two researchers from the Rapua Te Ara Rangatira project presented their work at the conference under the “Whakamana” (empowerment) subtheme, focusing on cultural revitalisation, narrative reclaiming, and engagements with traditional knowledge.
Utiku's presentation, titled “Casting off the Colonial Shackles”, shared a story of resistance and mana motuhake. He provided historical context about Ngāti Hauiti and Mōkai Pātea, highlighting how hapū and iwi exercised self-determination and autonomy before the arrival of the Crown. This discussion extended into the 1970s and 1980s, during the Māori Renaissance, and included a photograph of Richard Steedman (Ngāti Whitikaupeka, Ngāi Te Ohuake), former Whakauae board chair, taken during the 1975 Māori Land hīkoi.
This legacy has paved the way for the current project with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hauiti, co-designing a new governance model that reflects their tikanga and exercise of self-determination, primarily preserving the legacy of caring for mokopuna - flourishing future generations.
Luke’s presentation, “Te Remu Huia; reclaiming huia bird narratives with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hauiti”, highlighted that the reclamation of our huia narratives and other traditional narratives plays a dual role in our cultural revitalisation efforts and our leadership, governance and decision-making processes - he manu karapīpiti (two birds, one stone).
This reclamation serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it strengthens our language reclamation and ensures our narratives continue flowing from one generation to the next. However, it achieves more than preserving the worldview and language of our tūpuna because through observation, kōrero and wānanga, we deepen our collective understanding of our tūpuna. Doing so enables us to bridge traditional ways of knowing with contemporary contexts - to help guide us in our world.
Secondly, the huia narratives and their figurative language are shaping our emerging framework and informing the wānanga and discussions we hold with the Rūnanga. This approach ensures that the council's voices remain at the heart of our kaupapa as we co-design a tino rangatiratanga framework grounded in our shared knowledge and experiences.
IIRC provided a space for us to share our kaupapa and our co-design process, as well as to engage in knowledge exchange. We had the opportunity to listen to various oral and keynote presentations, share kai with other participants, whakawhanaunga (strengthen relationships), and connect with other Indigenous nations and communities. Whītiki taua! Together, we stand in solidarity!
