Gisborne researcher Ngahuia Mita has been awarded a New Zealand Mana Tūāpapa Future Leaders fellowship, through which she will focus on kaitiakitanga (guardianship) within waka hourua practices by studying the lived experiences of those involved in voyaging.
Gisborne researcher Ngahuia Mita has been awarded a New Zealand Mana Tūāpapa Future Leaders fellowship, through which she will focus on kaitiakitanga (guardianship) within waka hourua practices by studying the lived experiences of those involved in voyaging.
When Dr Ngahuia Mita looks atthe Gisborne-based Tairāwhiti waka hourua voyaging vessel, she sees history and health and feels a deep sense of connection.
Mita has been awarded a $875,000 fellowship from The Royal Society of New Zealand Te Āparangi.
Her research through the New Zealand Mana Tūāpapa FutureLeaders fellowship will focus on kaitiakitanga (guardianship) within waka hourua practices by studying the lived experiences of those involved in voyaging.
Mita has been heavily involved in waka for many years.
She grew up doing waka ama and said it seemed the next logical step to go to sea on a double-hulled voyaging canoe ... an experience she described as “life-changing”.
“That was very spiritual for all of us crew, especially those from here,” she said. “There is nothing like bringing your own waka to your home coastline.”
At the time, Mita was studying in Dunedin and working with the Hauteruruku ki Puketeraki Waka Club.
“I was thinking, ‘how can I go home and work on Tairāwhiti [waka]?’”
It led to a PhD funded by the Health Research Council through its New Zealand Career Development Awards.
Her thesis was titled Tairāwhiti Waka, Tairāwhiti Tangata — Examining Tairāwhiti Voyaging Philosophies.
“It was cool recognition to be backed by our biggest health research funder for that.”
Through her PhD, she looked at regional stories connected to waka in Tairāwhiti.
“We hear all these different stories, but they are not in a centralised place where people can go and look.”
Mita changed that and her PhD thesis, with all the stories, holds pride of place in the waka itself, so people can read it and learn from it.
“It shows people that this waka is just a small piece of a long whakapapa of waka and where we sit in that.”
“I analysed 11 pūrākau voyaging narratives, but so many more exist and with different iterations of the kōrero, too.”
She’s confident her next four years of research will yield deeper insights into fundamental values and principles like whanaungatanga (connection/relationships) and manaakitanga (hospitality/generosity).
She doesn’t love the term “academic”, but study and research have been her life since 2011.
Mita completed a Bachelor of Physical Education (2011-14), her master’s degree (2015-16) and her PhD (2019-22). Now there is this fellowship.
“I like to call myself a researcher, a kairangahau,” she said.
Those who go onboard the Tairāwhiti waka hourua have direct access to the thesis of Dr Ngahuia Mita titled Tairāwhiti Waka, Tairāwhiti Tangata – Examining Tairāwhiti Voyaging Philosophies.
Professor Anne-Marie Jackson, of Rehutai whānau Māori consultancy, mentored Mita through her studies at the University of Otago and will again be by her side throughout the four-year fellowship.
The research will include a systematic review of existing literature and multimedia sources, while collecting new data through interviews and evidence to create a better understanding of how waka practices influence identity, hauora, health and overall wellbeing.
She plans to create an accessible repository for all.
Mita will interview people and hold wānanga across the broadest spectrum of kaupapa waka to understand how it can be used as an evidence base to contribute to sustainability.
“This is going back to my main kaupapa for research, which is around our waka. The extent of this makes it unique in New Zealand and so important. There is such a high level of humility in our [waka] kaupapa and people don’t often talk about how massive the impact is.”
Mita said in theory it seemed simple – a focus on kaitiakitanga (guardianship) - but there were many moving parts.
“The fellowship gives me the opportunity to take a look, talk to people and evidence a lot of things we do, and highlight how much of a massive ecosystem it is.
“It will show the impact this kaupapa can have. I do believe it is underappreciated the value our waka bring to communities.”
Mita said the Tairāwhiti waka was a highly skilled operation and “we want to show that when we say kaitiakitanga, it isn’t just a historical re-enactment”.
Waka provided the opportunity for rangatahi to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, trained skippers and more, she said.
“It is building great people who can contribute to the community. It connects back [to the past] but is looking forward. That is why waka are so impactful.”
The research would not be an “individual pursuit of knowledge”, rather one to share with the wider waka community across Aotearoa.
