2019 Raewyn Good Study Award for Māori and Pasifika Social Science Research awarded to Jade Harvey

Jade was awarded this for her research entitled: “Augmented reality aiding the development of indigenous place narratives and capturing te ao Māori for the use of Māori tourism development in Tāmaki Makaurau.” 

She is focusing on Māori tourism development in Tāmaki Makaurau and specifically how this development can contribute to a sustainable future for Māori tourism. In terms of sustainability, the research is not limited to just the natural environment, Jade is also focusing on cultural and socio-economic sustainability and how Māori can use tourism as a means to drive these outcomes for their own people. Jade’s research aims to contribute to the gap in Māori tourism literature while also looking at how Māori are using new technology, such as augmented reality, to enhance their delivery of tourism experiences. Furthermore, she will analyse how this in turn can aid cultural sustainability in terms of preservation and awareness of place narratives and te ao Māori values, leading to more jobs for Māori in this sector for socio-economic outcomes.

Tangata whenua and Māori culture are a key part of the New Zealand tourism industry and an unique point of difference globally. While there is a high level of value placed on Māori cultural tourism experiences in the industry, there remains a lack of literature on Māori tourism development. Jade has purposefully chosen to focus her study on Tāmaki Makaurau as there is a thriving Māori tourism industry in this area despite the lack of profile and recognition it receives due to other more obvious cultural hotspots close by.

About the Raewyn Good Study Award for Māori and Pasifika Social Science Research

The award was established in the memory of the late Raewyn Good who was an activist and a researcher in the social sciences. She was active on the Royal Society Te Apārangi Council and was an integral member of the Society's Social Sciences Advisory Committee. 

The study award is available for one year to students who are engaged in, enrolled in or applying for a Master’s degree that undertakes social sciences research at any New Zealand university or wānanga. The award includes a cash grant of $6,000.