Te Tiriti remains central to social, political, cultural life for many New Zealanders committed
to social justice. A multiplicity of organisations across Aotearoa are wrestling with how to
fulfil Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities as we transition to a decolonised nation that respects
and upholds collective Indigenous rights.
HC&A are grateful to the Royal Society - Te Aparangi for seeing merit and funding our new
study (starts March 2025) which examines: What is honourable kāwanatanga? And how can
organisations strengthen and deepen their engagement with Te Tiriti? The project will be co-
led by Clive Aspin and Heather Came.
Heather is excited about the challenge ahead and maintains "At this critical juncture in the
social landscape of Aotearoa, it is vital that we re-engage with this foundational document."
Clive notes "This wide-ranging study, examining the relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to
organisational practice, leadership and governance has the potential to bring significant
benefit to people in Aotearoa and will attract a great deal of interest, nationally and
internationally."
The research team: Heather Came, Clive Aspen, Grant Berghan,
Mershen Pillay, Leah Waipuka Bain, Julio Pereira and Joy Ratima.
Clive Aspin (Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāti Tamaterā) is a senior kaupapa Māori
health researcher based at Te Herenga Waka with a long-term interest in culture, gender
and sexuality. In 2023 he was awarded the Te Rangi Hiroa medal for contributions to
societal transformation and change.
Heather Came (Pākehā) has 30 years’ experience in antiracism work as a Tiriti worker with a
professional background in critical public health prior to founding Heather Came & Associates.
Mershen Pillay (Tauiwi) research focuses on decoloniality and he is based at Massey University. He has long advocated for healthcare frameworks to address inequities under
apartheid and in a post-1994, democratic South Africa.
Grant Berghan (Ngāpuhi, Ngātiwai and Te Rarawa) has extensive senior management
experience working for decades in Māori health development and the public sector. He is a
kaumātua and co-facilitator of nationwide Māori leadership programmes.
Leah Waipuka-Bain (Ngāti Kahungunu mē Rangitāne ki Wairarapa) brings expertise in policy
development and antiracism. Leah has a background in the education and health sectors, as
well as senior leadership.
Associate Professor Julio Pereira has a background in statistics and in Bayesian approaches
for modelling spatial data. He is currently based at Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brazil.
The team will also be supported by a critical research whānau consisting of Professor El-
Shadan Tautolo, Ngaire Rae, Dr Isla Emery-Whittington, Carl Chenery, Georgina Davis,
Lincoln Dam, Catherine Delahunty, Wiremu Woodard, and Dr Maria Baker.
The study itself is broken into five stages. Initially (stage 1), we will identify, examine and
articulate foundational conceptualisations of honourable kāwanatanga, drawing on critical
local and Southern literature, Waitangi Tribunal reports, kōrero with elders, and caucused
wānanga. To establish a benchmark of existing organisational practice (stages 2 & 3), we
will undertake a nationwide organisational survey of honourable kāwanatanga that will be the
first of its kind, supplemented with key informant interviews drawing on critical conversation
traditions with leaders.
Through caucused wānanga (stage 4) we will identify the next steps in transitioning to a fair,
just and equitable Tiriti-based future building on our previous antiracism and Tiriti work.
Central to the research is a commitment to dissemination (stage 5) and building a
sustainable repository or living archive of this work. Our research will tautoko iterative
collective efforts to make a tika transition to constitutional transformation.
As part of preparing this grant application Heather, Clive, Mershen and Tim recently
published the following paper in Ethnicities on honourable kāwanatanga. This paper
outlines the challenge of Matike Mai in relation to constitutional transformation, the Crown’s
position on kāwanatanga, efforts to reclaim honourable kāwanatanga, reconciliation and the
harm of dishonourable kāwanatanga, citizens initiatives for constitutional transformation and
co-governance and sharing power.
Over the summer Clive and Heather will be working with a Ngā Pae Maramatanga summer
intern to explore how honourable kāwanatanga is framed in the context of Waitangi Tribunal
reports. Watch this space!
Please contact joyaratima@gmail.com if you want to be kept up to date in relation to this
study.
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