New professor for Te Pūtahi-a-Toi
An acclaimed expert in Māori astronomy is running the graduate programme at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, the School of Māori Knowledge, as its new Professor of Mātauranga Māori. Professor Rangi Mātāmua, Ngāi Tuhoe, officially began at Massey at the beginning of September, after working at the University of Waikato, where he was a Professor and Associate Dean Postgraduate, School of Māori and Pacific Development.
For Professor Mātāmua, it is like coming full circle after doing his PhD and working as a Research Manager at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi from 2001 to 2008.
“It’s in many ways a bit of a homecoming for me. I grew up in the region. I was born in Palmerston North, raised in Horowhenua, did my secondary schooling in the Manawatū, so to be able to go back after working at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi is a real privilege and I am honoured,” Professor Mātāmua said.
He hopes to use his experience with Māori astronomy and mātauranga Māori to support the ongoing work at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi. “I’d like to support the good work that’s being done at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi in terms of the culture studies and the language, also with a focus on postgraduate studies and just to be part of a very vibrant, exciting faculty.”
When asked what he hoped for the future of Mātauranga Māori at Massey, Professor Mātāmua said he hoped that mātauranga Māori would continue to play a big part in who we are as a nation, not just at Massey. “I think Te Pūtahi-a-Toi has an important role to play in the maintenance and inclusion of mātauranga Māori in our society and that’s really what I hope the future will be.”
Professor Cynthia White, Pro Vice-Chancellor Te Kura Pūkenga Tangata, College of Humanities and Social Sciences said, “We are honoured that Professor Mātāmua is joining us in this new role at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi.”
Professor of Māori and Indigenous Education, Huia Jahnke, also said in a statement, “We are delighted that Professor Mātāmua is returning to Te Pūtahi-a-Toi as his appointment will help drive new research, scholarship and endeavour that reaches across the broadest possible span of Mātauranga Māori”.