Te Tumu scholar in successful Research Theme bid
Jenny Bryant-Tokalau
Associate Professor Jenny Bryant-Tokalau of Te Tumu is one of 14 Principal Investigators in the recently awarded University Theme, Asia-Pacific Biocultural Health: Past and Present.
The theme, which is coordinated by Haille Buckley, Tuari Potiki, Tony Merriman and Sian Halcrow and has attracted academics from various Otago divisions, is funded for five years. It will investigate fundamental questions of the human past that have pressing implications for human society today in Aotearoa, the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Questions of the origins of people, non-communicable disease, and social inequality, and major subsistence and cultural change will be assessed drawing on a range of cross- and multi-disciplinary approaches mobilising research expertise in the University.
Jenny’s role in the theme is her work on adaptation to climate change and hardships and inequality in the Pacific.
Michael Reilly – selected for the JPH Virtual Special Issue
Professor Michael Reilly
The Journal of Pacific History has reached its 50th year, and the editors have produced a “Virtual Special Issue” to commemorate this milestone with 26 previously published essays. Authors include the likes of Marshall Sahlins, Greg Dening, Neil Gunson, Judith Binney and others. Included among the luminaries is Te Tumu’s Professor Michael Reilly, with his essay, ‘Grief, Loss and Violence in Ancient Mangaia, Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu’, which appeared in Vol. 47 (2012). As the editors state, this ‘is a brilliant analysis of the language of emotion in vernacular texts by a prolific contributor to JPH.’ Congratulations, Michael, for this recognition of your great contribution to Pacific history.
Three Items
The Puke Ariki Trust Scholarship, valued at $5000, supports the studies of a postgraduate student whose research relates to Taranaki’s social history. Puke Ariki is Taranaki’s Museum, Library, Archive Centre based in New Plymouth, renowned for its extensive heritage collections. If you are interested in this scholarship, check out the Puke Ariki Trust Scholarship Terms and Conditions.
Associate Professor Jenny Bryant-Tokalau presented a paper to the conference ‘Islands and Oceans: Navigating Pacific Futures’ held at Auckland University, November 12-13th 2015. Jenny’s paper, entitled ‘Reforming Land Tenure in the Pacific: requirements and implications, the case of Fiji’, was chaired by former Oxfam director Barry Coates, and was part of an intensive two day workshop between University of Auckland (Pacific Studies), Auckland University of Technology, Australian National University and the University of Otago to look at areas of collaborative Pacific research.
Nathan Albury (left)
Te Tumu PhD student Nathan Albury recently was awarded the Griffith University School of Language and Linguistics Outstanding Alumnus Award in recognition of his PhD research into folk linguistics for Te Reo Maori and Sami language. Nathan is completing his PhD at the Centre for Multilingualism in Society Across the lifespan – MultiLing (CoE), Department of Linguistics and Scandavian Studies, University of Oslo,with Dr Lyn Carter (Te Tumu) as one of the supervisors.
The Ngāruawāhia Tūrangawaewae Regatta
Tangiwai Rewi
This Wednesday Tangiwai Rewi will be giving a seminar, “The Ngāruawāhia Tūrangawaewae Regatta: Today’s Reflections on the Past”, based on her on-going research on intergenerational knowlege transfer relating to Kīngitanga practices.
For more details, see the Abstract
The seminar will be in Te Iringa Kōrero (R3S10, 3rd floor, Te Tumu), 2.30-3.30, Wednesday 25 November, and is open to all.
Exciting Opportunity for PACI student.
We are happy to announce a major success for Eden Iati of the PACI201 class (Tagata Pasifika: Peoples of Oceania).
Eden has been selected by the McGuiness Foundation to participate in a 72 hour workshop in Wellington in December on TacklingPovertyNZ: Exploring ways to reduce poverty in New Zealand.
The course will bring together 30 young New Zealanders who will work together to prepare a youth perspective on poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how to tackle it. Those selected will be engaging with government ministers, Treasury, Auckland City Mission, Economic think tanks and many others.
PACI201, a paper within Te Tumu’s Pacific Islands Studies major, proved to be an excellent support to Eden as it examines issues such as poverty, inequality, urbanisation and land in a Pacific context.
Well done Eden!
“How whakapapa saved my life”
Dr Karyn Paringatai (Ngāti Porou) is perhaps best known for her innovative award-winning teaching pedagogy – teaching in the dark. But on 10 November, Karyn gave a talk for TEDxDunedin on a much more personal issue, on how learning her whakapapa saved her life. TEDx talks are about “Ideas Worth Spreading”.
Click here to watch the video of Karyn’s talk.
Karyn teaches Māori language and performing arts in Te Tumu.
Emma Dunlop-Bennett, a new PhD student in Pacific Studies.
Emma Dunlop-Bennett, a new PhD student in Pacific Studies, visited from Wellington recently. Emma is supervised by AP Jenny Bryant-Tokalau and Dr Michelle Schaaf, and her topic is ‘Strengthening Pasifika early childhood education through a Pasifika-developed model’.
Emma’s working background is as Country Director of World Vision Vanuatu, and as Programme Manager in NZAID and MFAT, largely in the Pacific. She has also worked in the Family Planning Association (NZ), and in Rural Development in Zimbabwe. Emma will be based in Wellington but will visit Te Tumu several times a year.
