Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku: Māori in Museums

Emeritus professor Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku is descended from Te Arawa, Tūhoe and Waikato iwi.

As a student, she was a member of the activist group Ngā Tamatoa at the University of Auckland. Her Master of Arts thesis was on Janet Frame and her PhD on the effects of tourism on the Te Arawa people.

Te Awekōtuku has worked across the heritage, culture and academic sectors as a curator, lecturer, researcher and activist. Rotorua Museum is privileged to include her as a member of the Exhibition project steering group and The Friends are delighted to have her speak about Māori in Museums.

Wikipedia tells us:

"Her areas of research interest include gender issues, museums, body modification, power and powerlessness, spirituality and ritual. She has been curator of ethnology at the Waikato Museum; lecturer in art history at Auckland University, and professor of Māori studies at Victoria University of Wellington. She was Professor of Research and Development at Waikato University."