Our People: Kāhui Kaumātua
The Tikanga in Technology RA1 team are privileged to be guided by the wisdom and experience of our kāhui kaumātua. The kāhui comprises elders with a formidable depth and breadth of knowledge and experience across te ao Māori and te ao whānui. Twice a year we wānanga with our kāhui to listen, learn, test our thinking, and plan ahead. Their support helps us to maintain our focus on doing research that transforms and reimagines data systems to create positive outcomes for mokopuna, now and in the future.
Tamati Cairns
Iwi/hapū: Tūhoe
Tamati Cairns has had a pioneering role in Private Training Education Establishments throughout Aotearoa and is a Director of P&T Global Education. Tamati was formerly a teacher, as well as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at Victoria University. Tamati has served on numerous iwi, private and public sector boards, and currently chairs the Pouakani Land Trust and the Wellington District Māori Council. He was also a negotiator for the Tūhoe Treaty settlement and the Pouakani Trust settlement. Tamati is a licensed Māori interpreter.
Tuahana Clark
Iwi/hapū: Waikato
Ko Onepoto, ko Taupiri ngā maunga.
Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Waikato te iwi
Ko Te Wherowhero te tangata
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Te Awamarahi te marae
Ko Ngāti Amaru, ko Ngāti Hape ngā hapū
I whānau mai au i te tau 1946
Kei Whatawhata taku wāhi noho i te riu o Waikato. He maha ngā mahi e mahi nei au. He tiatangata au mō Ngā Hua o te Rito, he roopu raranga teenei ko roa ake i ngaa tau rua tekau e haere ana.Kei runga au i te poari kaumātua o Rauawaawa i Kirikiriroa. He mema au o te rōpū wāhine Māori toko i te ora mai i te tau 2001. Kei te ako tamariki tonu i te kura kaupapa o Tōku Māpihi Maurea i Kirikiriroa. Kei te tautoko au i ngā mokopuna i ngā wā katoa, ā kura nei he aha rānei. He aha atu, he aha atu.
Mere Kepa, PhD
Iwi/hapū: Te Parawhau, Patuharakeke, Ngāti Raka, Ngāti Ira
Dr Mere Kepa has enjoyed a long career of teaching, learning, and research in education and health. In her ‘retirement’ she continues to contribute to uplifting the capacity and capability of Indigenous Māori, Pacific, and Sami educators, researchers, and writers. In the kāinga of Takahiwai, Te Tai Tokerau, Mere plays a significant role in environmental, health and education research and activities.
Karu Kukutai
Iwi/hapū: Ngāti Tiipa, Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Aupōuri
Karu is a kaumātua at Tūrangawaewae Marae and has decades of experience working with iwi, hapū and faith based communities, providing cultural support and pastoral care. He served for many years as the chaplain at Tokanui Psychiatric Hospital, Henry Bennett Centre and Waikato Hospital, on 24 hour call out.
Karu is also a member of the Ngāti Tiipa research team and a Trustee on the Arapae 3 Ahu Whenua block focusing on the Piopio farm station. He is a kaumātua for the Whanawhana Totorewa Trust and the whānau homestead Te Riu o Waikato on the Parihaka papakāinga.
Karu decided to do his OE in his later years, backpacking around the Middle East, South East Asia and South America. He also found time to complete a Bachelor of Social Science.
Waiora Port, PhD
Iwi/hapū: Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa, Ngai Takoto, Ngāti Pinaki, Ngāti Maroki, Ngāti Hine.
In her 90th year, Waiora Port is the most senior member of our kāhui and has had a long career in teaching and research. The title of Waiora’s MA was 'He Tirohanga Māori: Attitudes to Disability', and her PhD research explored Māori views on DNA testing of inherited cancers. Waiora was Kai Arataki at Northern Genetic Services (part time) whilst doing her PhD. She was a member of the Bioethics Council, Māori Advisory Board of Brain Research Aotearoa, and a member of Te Rōpū Kaitiaki of Te Puawaitanga o Nga Tapuwae Kia Ora Tonu. Waiora has been and continues to be a Māori Advisory member of the Centre for Brain Research. She is also on the Kaumātua Rōpū for Dr. Makarena Dudley’s research on mate wareware (Dementia).
Brownie Rauwhero
Iwi/hapū: Waikato, Te Aakitai
Brownie Rauwhero is a well-known kaumātua throughout the Tainui rohe, having served on the Tainui Māori Trust Board, the Huakina Development Trust, the Auckland Museum taumata and the Koroneihana Committee (of the Kīngitanga). Currently Brownie has many roles, providing cultural advice and expertise to a wide range of organisations and communities including Oranga Tamariki, Manukau District Courts and the NZ Police. Brownie has resided for many years on the papakāinga of Pūkaki marae, Māngere, and was nominated by Kīngi Tuheitia to be his representative within Tāmaki.
Pare Rauwhero
Iwi/hapū: Ngāti Te Ata, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Maniapoto
Pare Rauwhero resides at Pūkaki marae, Māngere, and is widely known for her mahi supporting the care, protection and wellbeing of tamariki and wāhine Māori. Pare has worked with the Auckland Methodist Mission, Huakina Development Trust, Maatua Whāngai and Department of Corrections. She is an experienced kaupapa Māori social worker and counsellor, committed to tikanga-based approaches to healing and wāhine Māori empowerment.
Rereokeroa Shaw
Iwi/hapū: Ngāti Tiipa, Ngāti Tahinga
Rereokeroa Shaw brings a diverse range of experiences to the kāhui. She has served as a Chair and Secretary on many community and marae boards, owned a business, and held General Manager and Chief Executive Officer roles. Rereokeroa is currently the Managing Director of the Port Waikato Holiday Park which was recently returned to her hapū Ngāti Tahinga. She retired from the University of Auckland in 2019, having worked as a Māori Medium Professional Learning Development Facilitator working with principals and teachers. Rereokeroa holds a number of degrees including a Masters of Management, Postgraduate Diploma of Māori Laws and Philosophy, and Diploma of Teaching. She gained her pilot licence in 1983.