Co-Director (Tangata Whenua) appointment for Ko ngā wā kāinga hei whakamahorahora

Rihi Te Nana has been appointed to the role of Co-Director (Tangata Whenua) of the Building Better Homes Towns and Cities: Ko ngā wā kāinga hei whakamahorahora National Science Challenge. Photo: Desna Whaanga-Schollum.

Rihi Te Nana has been appointed to the role of Co-Director (Tangata Whenua) of the Building Better Homes Towns and Cities: Ko ngā wā kāinga hei whakamahorahora National Science Challenge.

Treaty Partnership is at the heart of our challenge and the appointment of Rihi to the role of Co-Director (Tangata Whenua) is a major step in the implementation of Building Better’s Te Tiriti Partnership Commitment.

Rihi (Ngāti Haaua, Ngāpuhi, Tuwharetoa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa) comes to the Challenge from the Ngā Wai ā te Tui Māori and Indigenous Research Centre, Te Whare Wananga o Wairaka – Unitec. She has been working in the kaupapa Māori research space for nearly two decades. Rihi’s research ideas and knowledge have been committed to developing and empowering whānau to grow whānau agency and capability skills. Rihi has worked alongside whānau, hapū, and community groups to develop and strengthen tikanga practises that support positive transformative healthy whānau well-being practises. She has spent many years in the social services (family violence, sexual violence, and vulnerable families) sectors to secure more funding for Māori/Iwi providers so they can work with vulnerable whānau to improve their circumstances.

Rihi is current member of the BBHTC National Challenge Science whānau and has been active in the Challenge working in collaboration with Te Puea Memorial Marae since Phase I to better understand what made the Manaaki Tāngata programme successful, and, in Phase II, to better understand the ways whānau who have moved through the Manaaki Tāngata (MT) programme into the ‘Whānau Ora Mana Motuhake’ phase have re-established homes and reconnected into their new communities.

Rihi was also tuakana to the Phase I Rangatahi team, supporting them in both their research programme to understand and make visible rangatahi housing aspirations and needs, and their journey to become key researchers in Phase II.

Rihi will work in partnership with the Co-Director (Tangata Tiriti) Ruth Berry, starting in her new role in October 2021.

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