An unanticipated outcome of the Project Kāinga research alongside Te Rereatukāhia was the need for a new and forward-thinking Education Plan.
An unanticipated outcome of the Project Kāinga research alongside Te Rereatukāhia was the need for a new and forward-thinking Education Plan. The data collected alongside the expertise provided by the Project’s surveying specialist, Dr McTaggart, revealed two key findings:
Te Rereatukāhia marae diaspora are generally keen to remain connected, at least digitally, have a much higher educational attainment than those who have remained home; and want to contribute to the future wellbeing of the wider community.
This diaspora would like to return home to (re)learn about their unique Te Rereatukāhia kāinga, whakapapa, whenua/ taiao and taonga with a longterm vision of coming home more regularly and provide their skills, knowledge and educational abilities to assist betterment of Ngāi Tamawhariua.
This plan is in its infancy. Tapsell of Project Kāinga has offered to assist in its development through to completion over the next 12 months (Sept 2025), which falls beyond Project Kāinga end date. This is a reflection of the reality Māori researchers inevitably must maintain well beyond project completion dates, when engaging marae communities. The relationship developed over time, built on trust and shared knowledge becomes a lifetime commitment to which our Pākehā academic colleagues remain mostly unaware. The 2020 publication written by Kawharu, Tane and Tapsell provides insight to kin-accountable relationships that emerge when Māori researchers engage in Māori-related knowledge generation in marae/hapū contexts.