Massey appoints renowned scholar to school of Māori knowledge
Wednesday, 8 September 2021
One of Aotearoa’s foremost Māori scholars, Rangi Mātāmua, Ngāi Tūhoe, has been appointed as a professor of Mātauranga Māori at Massey’s Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, school of Māori knowledge.
Professor Cynthia White, pro vice-chancellor Te Kura Pūkenga Tangata, the college of humanities and social sciences, said the university was honoured Mātāmua was joining Massey in the new role.
Mātāmua has a long association with Massey and Te Kura Pūkenga Tangata.
He gained a doctor of philosophy (Māori studies) in 2007 and was a research manager at the school from 2001-2008.
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Professor Huia Jahnke said Mātāmua’s return would help drive new research, scholarship and endeavour, which reached across “the broadest possible span of Mātauranga Māori”.
Acting head of school, associate professor Margaret Forster, agreed.
“His return will see professor Mātāmua leading the graduate school programme at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi.
“This will help us meet the increasing demand from Māori students to write in te reo Māori and engage in mātauranga Māori-related projects at the master’s and PhD level.”
Professor Mātāmua has a distinguished career, most recently as professor and associate dean of postgraduate at the school of Māori and Pacific development at the University of Waikato.
He has received multiple awards, including the Prime Minister’s science prize in fields such as Māori astronomy, science communication, Māori navigation, indigenous knowledge and te reo Māori.
He is a fellow of the Te Apārangi Royal Society of New Zealand.
Mātāmua is internationally known and respected for his accomplishments as a pioneering innovator and leader across both Mātauranga Māori and multiple interfaces with the sciences.
He is perhaps most widely known for his contribution to advancing public knowledge and awareness of Matariki.
Mātāmua started on September 1.