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Published 23 October 2019Te Takarangi ki Ōtākou opens in Ōtepoti Dunedin
An exhibition honouring Māori research and scholarship jointly established by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) and Royal Society Te Apārangi, features as part of the University of Otago's 150th celebrations.
Preceding the opening of Te Takarangi ki Ōtākou, Professor Poia Rewi (Ngāti Manawa, Te Arawa and Tūhoe) Dean of Te Tumu, School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous studies from the University of Otago, and Professor Rawinia Higgins (Tūhoe), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori) from Victoria University of Wellington, spoke at a public address Te Takarangi Pūkōrero.
Te Takarangi Pūkorero address at the University of Otago, 16 October 2019
In front of an engaged crowd, Poia and Rawinia discussed the notable revitalisation of te reo Māori, as well as their views for the future of Māori language in Aotearoa.
Te Takarangi is being presented as part of Ngā Pou Whirinaki, events collectively woven under the strands of Māori academic scholarship, staff and student support and success at the University of Otago.
Te Takarangi began as an online initiative promoting one book a day on social media to honour the long history of Māori scholarship that exists in Aotearoa. Strong interest in the 150 non-fiction Māori-authored books (spanning 202 years of publications), curated by Professor Jacinta Ruru (Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui), Jeanette Wikaira (Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāpuhi) and Dr Angela Wanhalla (Ngāi Tahu), lead to the books being complied into an exhibition on a crafted taonga made by Ngāti Maniapoto artist Len Hetet, which was launched at Parliament last October.
Te Takarangi ki Ōtākou has been built upon the original collection of books and acknowledges the depth and significance of Māori scholarship at the University of Otago. It is available to view at the University's The Link from 16 October to 8 November 2019.