Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, School of Māori Studies
Although the School of Māori Studies was not established until 1988, its origins go back further. In 1971, Professor Hugh Kawharu had been awarded a personal Chair and founded the Department of Social Anthropology and Māori Studies . Working under his direction the late Hone Kamariera, Ted Nepia and Te Pakaka Tawhai helped lay the foundations for the present School of Māori Studies.
Within Massey University, the School of Māori Studies is affiliated to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and also contributes to programmes in the Colleges of Business, Education and Sciences. The School of Māori Studies is now centred on a modern complex, Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, opened in 1997. It is located on Bourke Road on the Turitea Campus, Palmerston North.
Mission Statement
While the main functions include teaching and research, the School of Māori Studies also has active links with iwi and the wider Māori community and participates in hui, wānanga, conferences and seminars. Strong connections also exist with the heritage community at regional and national levels and an academic leadership role is taken in Museum Studies. Consultation on aspects of Māori development is provided to local and central Government, art and cultural centres, and educational institutes, and staff serve on a variety of advisory and planning committees.
Networks extend to Māori Studies departments and centres, and wānanga, elsewhere in New Zealand and to teaching and research institutions which share common aims and methodologies. Agreements have also been forged with indigenous studies centres and departments in Norway, Canada, the USA and the Pacific, including Hawai'i, and with international museums, for student exchange, joint research, and the sharing of information.
Professor Robert Jahnke
Head of School
