Raising awareness of offshore volcanic islands through the use of Mātauranga Māori
The Raranga Whāriki Papa Moana | Beneath the Waves programme aims to incorporate research on mātauranga, historical, science and local information to raise awareness of and improve the way we communicate with coastal communities, Māori communities, youth, and local schools about volcanic islands and the hazards and risks that these islands may cause for local communities.
We welcome new postgraduate student, Paea Ake Ake, from Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiārangi to the research team, who aims to raise awareness of offshore volcanic islands through the use of mātauranga Māori.
Below, Paea shares a few things about herself and her research.
Where do you come from?
Ko Mauao toku maunga
Ko Tauranga toku moana
Ko Wairoa toku awa
Ko Takitimu toku waka
Ko Ngai Te Rangi, Ko Ngati Ranginui oku iwi
Ko Pirirakau, Ko Te Whanau Tauwhao, Ko Te Urungawera oku hapu
Ko Paea Ake ahau
I come from Tauranga Moana.
In your spare time where would we find you?
In my spare time you will either find me chilling with my whanau or on adventures with my kids, diving, beaching, travelling. I love to spend time with my whanau.
What’s a little-known fact about you?
I’m a diver. I love diving. Whether it be scuba diving or free diving. I love the sea. Always have, and hopefully always will! I love to mahi kai and teach the young ones how to gather food from the sea in a sustainable environmentally friendly way.
What are 3 things on your bucket list?
Catch a marlin, dive with a humpback whale, travel the length of Aotearoa over an extended period with my kids.
What is your involvement in the ‘Beneath the Waves’ programme?
I am currently pursuing my Master of Indigenous Studies through Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiārangi. My thesis will help educate the mātauranga Māori about Tūhua and other volcanoes within the ‘Beneath the Waves - Te Raranga Whariki Papa Moana’ program by raising awareness of offshore volcanic islands through the use of mātauranga Māori. I will be using Tūhua Island specifically as my case study.
What inspired you to undertake this study?
This thesis holds dear to my heart for the fact that I spent 5 years of my childhood living on Tūhua island with my parents and siblings. When I was 8 years old, my family and I moved there to live. My brothers and sisters and I attended home schooling with my mum as the Kaiako and homemaker and dad the caretaker and Kaitiaki of Tūhua.
Living on Tūhua Island with my family is one of my most treasured memories. It is also where I gained many of my life values and passion for the taiao and the moana. It is an honor and privilege to incorporate my studies to this place.
What are you most excited about for this research?
I am helping to bring together mātauranga Māori and western science to enable new ways of learning about and communicating volcanic hazards on New Zealand's coastline. I am excited to learn more about the mātauranga Māori of Tūhua island and other knowledge streams of Aotearoa’s history of volcanoes and how that relates to raising awareness of offshore volcanic islands to particularly local, youth and Māori communities.