Our initiatives focus on enhancing health equity, cultural preservation, sustainable practices, and educational support, all grounded in mātauranga Māori and community partnership. Click on the projects below to explore each one in more detail.
Projects within the Hauora theme have included Health Equity, which explores poor Māori health outcomes and suggests structural pathways forward for health systems and their practitioners; Cultural Safety, which provides behavioural insights for medical practitioners and health systems to perform at higher standards; and Nourishing Hawke’s Bay: He wairua tō te kai, which explored Māori knowledge and community partnerships to support food security and more sustainable environmental pathways around the Ka Ora Ka Ako school lunch programme. New areas of endeavour are being developed to further advance Māori health and wellbeing.
EIT serves as a repository for two whānau-owned collections of Māori manuscripts, working to preserve, arrange, describe, digitise, and archive them to make the knowledge they hold more widely accessible. The Traditional Knowledge Labels project, in collaboration with international partners, makes Māori knowledge about culturally significant sites more accessible, protects them from development, and ensures their preservation for future generations. These initiatives strengthen Indigenous data sovereignty and enhance the connection between historical Māori knowledge and contemporary research.
Toi Māori showcases Māori cultural identity through creative projects that bring Indigenous design and artistry into learning environments. The Te Papa o Kiwa Quad and Buildings Project integrates Māori, Pacific, and New Zealand cultural identity into campus spaces, creating a stronger sense of place and belonging for all. Other projects focus on whakairo (carving) preservation, artistic workspace design, and taonga repatriation, ensuring these traditions remain an active part of cultural expression. Emerging Māori artists and designers also contribute to these creative projects, strengthening cultural storytelling through contemporary and traditional art forms.
Te Taiao promotes Māori-led approaches to environmental sustainability, resilience, and conservation. Sustainable Seas integrates tikanga Māori into marine stewardship, ensuring a balance between environmental care and economic sustainability. Other initiatives, such as Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery, Te Angiangi Marine Reserve, and Our Land and Water, explore Indigenous-led solutions to climate challenges, resource management, and long-term sustainability. These projects restore and protect natural ecosystems while reinforcing Māori values in environmental decision-making, ensuring lasting benefits for both land and communities.