1.0
Research Aim
Mātauranga Māori
and Data Sovereignty
We will…
Align Tauhokohoko with principles of Indigenous data sovereignty.
Conduct a legal review of recent agreements to identify the features of intellectual property rights and a comparative analysis of Indigenous data sovereignty principles; in the context of the digital trade components of free trade agreements.
Identify legal and extra-legal mechanisms that could identify and protect mātauranga and taonga; in focus groups with Indigenous trade experts and Indigenous data sovereignty experts.
People
Research Lead: A/Prof. Maui Hudson
Mātauranga Māori and Data Sovereignty
Associate Professor
Associate Professor Māui Hudson (Whakatōhea, Ngāruahine, Te Māhurehure) is the Director of Te Kotahi Research Institute at the University of Waikato and an influential researcher in Indigenous data sovereignty and governance. With a background in applied ethics and science, Māui’s work integrates mātauranga Māori into contemporary fields, such as environmental management, health, and innovation. He co-founded Te Mana Raraunga (the Māori Data Sovereignty Network) and the Global Indigenous Data Alliance, contributing to frameworks like the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance.
Māui actively supports Māori engagement in research and governance through initiatives like He Tukutuku Koiora. His leadership promotes strategic collaboration, advocating for Indigenous knowledge to shape future technology and policy developments that benefit both Māori and global communities.
Dr Xavier Forde
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Principal Advisor
Dr Xavier Forde (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa) is a Principal Adviser at the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, where he supports tribal projects that revitalise Māori traditional knowledge. His work focuses on preserving cultural heritage and promoting Indigenous knowledge systems within heritage management. Dr. Forde also chairs the Māori Heritage Committee of ICOMOS New Zealand and is actively involved in collaborative projects with other Indigenous communities to promote greater self-determination over heritage sites.
In addition to his advisory roles, Dr Forde has a strong academic background in political philosophy and cultural heritage, contributing to the discourse on the intersection of Indigenous rights and heritage conservation.
Dr Paul Brown
School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences Dean’s Office, University of Waikato
Lecturer
Paul Brown (Tainui, Ngāti Hikairo) is a Lecturer in Statistics at the University of Waikato. His research includes computational Bayesian inference, statistical modelling, and Māori data sovereignty. On this front, he has been involved in projects that focus on the use of Māori data in government operational algorithms and findability of Indigenous data in large data systems.
Dr Danielle Ta Heke Lucas
Independent Researcher
An Independent Researcher, Dani works with a range of organisations to facilitate research, including Te Kōtahi Research Institute at the University of Waikato, on how tikanga and mātauranga can be incorporated into the construction of digital identities. Te Ika a Maui at Te Herenga Waka/Victoria University of Wellington to better understand the relationships between iwi and universities across Aotearoa New Zealand. Rise Up, based in Salmon Arm, British Columbia to survey community groups on the services available to indigenous communities.
Natalie Kusabs
Te Kotahi Research Institute, Waikato University
Business manager
Natalie Kusabs (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Maru ki Hauraki, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Arawa) is the Business Manager at Te Kotahi Research Institute, University of Waikato. She plays a key role in fostering collaborations and developing projects that align with Indigenous values and mātauranga Māori. With extensive experience in external engagement, Kusabs works closely with researchers and community leaders to advance initiatives in Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Māori business development.
Her contributions focus on facilitating partnerships that empower Māori communities and promote sustainable practices. Kusabs also participates in academic projects centred on governance, Indigenous knowledge systems, and economic innovation.
Katie Lee Riddle
Te Kotahi Research Institute, Waikato University
Research assistant
Katie Lee Riddle (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Maru) is an ENRICH Scholar, Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga and SING Alumni, as well as an admitted Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. She earned her Bachelor of Laws with Honours, alongside a second major in Theatre Studies, from the University of Waikato in 2020. At Te Kotahi Research Institute, Riddle specialises in Māori Intellectual Property, Digital Sequence Information (DSI), and Indigenous Data Sovereignty.
Her expertise in these fields has led to her active involvement in international forums, including the United Nations COP15 negotiations on Digital Sequence Information. Riddle’s work reflects a commitment to advancing Indigenous rights and promoting the ethical use of data in a way that honours Māori knowledge systems.