Te Mana o Rangitāhua

About this project

Te Mana o Rangitāhua is a five-year (2020-2025) Ministry of Business, Innovation, Employment (MBIE) Endeavour-funded research programme led by Ngāti Kuri in partnership with Auckland Museum. Through this research, we will transform environmental wellbeing practices for Aotearoa through Indigenous practices of reconnecting, reidentifying, and restorying within a subtropical island ecosystem that is a bellwether for climate change.

Te Mana o Rangitāhua as a research project recognises all tangible and intangible links between people, the environment and tāonga. Multiple viewpoints are considered within the project that reflect our expertise and the overall research position and vision. It will enable the restorying of its cultural, biodiversity, scientific and geographical prominence. We will develop methods and knowledge to ensure the mauri and kaitiakitanga of Rangitāhua’s ecosystems. Ultimately, the research will bring balance to Rangitāhua’s narrative by reconnecting, reidentifying and restorying Rangitāhua for Ngāti Kuri and the people of Aotearoa. 

It will enable us to identify how we as a nation can understand what we need to do to preserve and protect one of the most special places in the world.

Te Mana o Rangitāhua Screenshot, Brochure, Te Ara Whānui research centre.
Rangitahua Brochure Screenshot , Ngāti Kuri, Te Ara Whānui.
Click to view or download PDF

Our Vision

To transform Aotearoa’s environmental stewardship and leadership through an indigenous-led research programme for Rangitāhua. Rangitāhua will be understood as a site of cultural, biological and  environmental significance to Ngāti Kuri, Aotearoa and the Southwest Pacific. Te Mana o Rangitāhua will be an internationally recognised example of indigenous governance and holistic ecosystem management.

Our mission

To generate new models of understanding to safeguard Rangitāhua’s ecosystems, promote resilience and wellbeing, and create platforms for ecological reform.

Our team

Te Mana o Rangitāhua is based on a high-trust and enduring partnership with iwi and the science community that has been established by Ngāti Kuri and Auckland Museum.

SHERIDAN WAITAI
CO-DIRECTOR

Ngāti Kuri Trust Board, Ngāti Kuri

ISAAC BROWN
RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Ngāti Kuri, Te Ara Whānui Research Centre

SARAH KNOWLES
PROGRAMME MANAGER

Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Auckland Museum

TAMMY TAUROA
SCIENCE LEADER

Ngāti Kuri, Te Ara Whānui
Research Centre

THOMAS TRNSKI
CO-DIRECTOR

Head of Natural Sciences,
Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum

BHAKTI PATEL
RESEARCH COORDINATOR

Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Auckland Museum

DR JILLIAN TIPENE
SENIOR RESEARCHER

Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu

PAPAHUIA DICKSON
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui,
Te Whakatōhea

CHARLOTTE MILNE
RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Auckland Museum

RUIA APEREHAMA
KAIRANGAHAU POU ARAHI

Ngāti Kuri, Te Ara Whānui
Research Centre

VICTORIA BROWN
ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT

Ngāti Kuri

LAUREN TIMMS
ASSISTANT COLLECTION MANAGER

Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Auckland Museum

JERRY NORMAN
POU TAUTOKO

Ngāti Kuri

CHELSEA BROWN GURNICK
PRACTITIONER

Ngāti Kuri, Raoul Island Logistics Ranger, Te Papa Atawhai DOC

CLARA AMPE
ADMINISTRATOR

Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Auckland Museum

DAVID AGUIRRE
SCIENCE LEADER

Associate Professor, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University
Marine Ecology

CHRIS GASKIN
RESEARCHER

Avifauna Researcher, Northern
New Zealand Seabird Trust
Seabird Ecology

LOUISE FUREY

Curator of Archaeology, Tāmaki
Paenga Hira Auckland Museum
Archaeology

LIBBY LIGGINS
SCIENCE LEADER

Associate Professor, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University,
Marine Ecology

JACQUELINE BEGGS
RESEARCHER

Professor, Waipapa Taumata
Rau University of Auckland
Terrestrial Ecology

MATT RAYNER
RESEARCHER

Curator of Land Vertebrates, Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum
Avian Ecology

MARY SEWELL
SCIENCE LEADER

Professor, Waipapa Taumata
Rau University of Auckland,
Marine Invertebrates

JOANNE O’CALLAGHAN
RESEARCHER

Coastal Physicist, Taihoro
Nukurangi NIWA
Oceanography

PETER BELLINGHAM
RESEARCHER

Senior Researcher, Manaaki
Whenua Landcare Research
Forest Ecology

WENDY NELSON
SCIENCE LEADER

Principal Scientist, Taihoro
Nukurangi NIWA
Marine Phycology

JOSIE GALBRAITH
RESEARCHER

Project Curator in Natural Sciences,
Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum
Terrestrial and Avian Ecology

RICHARD TAYLOR
RESEARCHER

Senior Lecturer, Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland
Marine Ecology

ROCHELLE CONSTANTINE
RESEARCHER

Associate Professor, Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland
Marine Mammals

ROBERTA D’ARCHINO
RESEARCHER

Marine Biologist, Taihoro Nukurangi NIWA
Marine Phycology

CAROL WEST
RESEARCHER

Te Papa Atawhai 
Department of Conservation
Botany

LEILANI WALKER
RESEARCHER

Lecturer, Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau Auckland University of Technology
Terrestrial Invertebrates

KEY partners

VR Resources

Partnership with NZ Geographic, WWF, Sir Peter Blake Trust & PEW Charitable Trust

Project funder

HOST

More projects