Excellence in Research Awarded to Te Hemo Ata Henare
The Excellence in Research Award presented to NorthTec academic staff member, Te Hemo Ata Henare, recognises a lifetime contribution to Toi Māori, education, and rangahau.
This award acknowledges outstanding research performance and excellence in research practice. It was awarded to someone whose contribution to Toi Māori, education, and rangahau spans decades and whose impact is felt across whānau, hapū, iwi, and hapori.
Te Hemo Ata Henare is a tohunga raranga, a master weaver, a kaiako, and a researcher whose work is deeply grounded in tikanga and whakapapa. Her research practice is not confined to institutions; it lives in marae, in museums, in wānanga, and in the hands of those she teaches and walks alongside.
Across many kaupapa, from museum collaborations and marae restoration to the revitalisation of customary weaving techniques, Te Hemo Ata has consistently brought together deep cultural knowledge, academic rigour, and a spirit of generosity. Her work enables others to reconnect with taonga, with identity, and with each other.
This award is a recognition not just of a single project, but of a lifetime of contribution of the way she has woven together people, places, and knowledge in service of something greater.
