Feast Māori Engagement Plan

Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa Massey University is a Tiriti-led University committed to demonstrating authentic leadership in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand as we uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding document of our nation, and its principles through our practice. The vision for Te Kunenga Ki Pūrehuroa Massey University is based on its unique position and reputation for:

  • Commitment to practice and partnership reflecting our Te Tiriti o Waitangi priorities
  • World-leading research with impact, in partnership with iwi, government, communities, and industries we serve
  • Curious world-ready graduates who lead with entrepreneurial acumen and capability, and who are committed to enhancing Aotearoa New Zealand and the world
  • A heritage of excellence and integrity, which ensures authentic leadership in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand
  • A reputation for caring, inclusion and equity, and commitment to our people, our environment, and our places

Feast’s Engagement with Māori and Te Tiriti

Feast promotes an inclusive culture. However, it recognises Māori are underrepresented in STEM and under-characterised in food preference studies. Feast began its Māori Engagement plan in 2022 and continues to develop its strategy to better engage with Māori in its studies and its research team.

Feast’s vision is to:

i) uphold Te Tiriti principles.

ii) increase Māori participation in our studies to between 5 and 10% by 2026.

iii) provide opportunities for Māori researchers to participate in our science.

iv) engage with Māori food and beverage entities to codesign research relevant to Māori.

Progress to date: We have built relationships with local Māori community groups and iwi through introductions from Māori colleagues at Massey University. In 2023, our Consumer study database saw a tenfold increase in Māori membership. We are working with Michael Smith (Ngati Kahungunu/Ngai Tuhoe/Whakatōhea/Nga Puhi) (Kaitautoko Māori, Massey) to improve our understanding of kawa and tikanga for conducting our research studies, for example how to Karakia food samples before presentation to participants, integrate te reo Māori into our daily mahi, and show respect for the head (taonga) in our research, especially when using digital head mounted displays or facial sensors.

To date, we have hosted 5 Pūhoro students interns to learn more about Consumer and Sensory Science – their blogs are here: 2021, 2022, 2023. We currently host a Māori scholar, Summer Wright, working with Māori food and beverage entities.  Previous projects also include research into perception of kawa kawa as a beverage ingredient (through the Riddet Institute), grape growers and the Māori value proposition.

Right: Summer Wright (Feast PhD Student and Rubi Smith (Feast Pūhoro intern) 

Dr Amanda Dupas de Matos developing relationships around a verjuice tasting with Rangitāne viticulturists Travis and Mackie Neame, and Dr Peter Mehana (Massey, not show/taking photo) she conducted in 2023.

Our Māori Engagement Plan 2022-2027

When considering our research direction, researchers will consider the following responsibilities to align with the University’s second priority as outlined in the Strategy, in particular:

  • Supporting Māori research priorities and in particular Māori development goals priorities, emphasising the importance of impact and benefits for the communities with whom we conduct our research.
  • Actively contributing to research that supports outcomes for Māori, including our Mana Whenua partners and whānau, hapū and iwi communities.

Recognising Mātauranga Māori, Tikanga Māori, and Kaupapa Māori are interconnected but are distinct concepts that contribute to the cultural identity, knowledge, and practices of the Māori people:

  • Mātauranga encompasses traditional knowledge.
  • Tikanga guides behaviour and interactions, do things right.
  • Kaupapa provides a foundation for Māori-led initiatives and actions.

Language and Pronunciation:

  • Learn basic greetings and common phrases in Te Reo Māori.

Continue current practices at the Feast Lab:

  • Use of the Karakia – opening and closing the Feast team meetings. It is currently said by one person but could be said by all to increase competency and engagement.
  • Karakia in advance e.g. before prepping in the kitchen, as it does not need to be done in front of people. Mention when participants come in that the Karakia has been said in advance of their session. It can be a song, any song. Nau mai Karakia (see below).

Opening- Karakia whakatūwhera

Mauri nui, Mauri roa / The infinite lifeforce that exists in all of us
Mauri ora te Pūkenga, mauri ora te Tauira / We are all experts in and students, combine our strengths and weaknesses to become useful in our collaboration working together
Ka tau mai ha nuku, Ka tau mai hā rangi / Be settled, focus on what is ahead of us in this time, in this place between the earth mother and sky father
Rurukutia iho nei / Bind us together in honesty
kia ū / So that we may be nourished by the experience
Kia mau / And that we may carry this experience with us into the future
Tuturu whakamaua kia tina / Let us carry this covenant in truth and honesty [repeat TINA!, if you agree]
Haumi e Hui e Taiki e / Bind us together as a group to be useful to each other

Closing – Karakia whakatūwhera

Kia whakairia te tapu / Restrictions are moved aside
Kia wātea ai te ara / So, the pathways is clear
Kia turuki whakataha ai / To return to everyday activities
Haumi e. Hui e. Tāiki e! / Bind us together as a group to be useful to each other

  • Use Te reo greetings as people arrive at the facility.
  • Use the Te reo definition cards displayed in our training room, more will be added monthly as an initiative to encourage greeting colleagues and research participants with Kia ora, Ata marie, Morena. As we familiarise ourselves with the correct pronunciation, we will be adding more words to our vocabulary.
  • Do not sit on tables.
  • Do not pass food (or anything) overhead, particularly when others are sitting.
  • Keep spectacles/hats away from table surfaces (as they have been on the head, the head is sacred, so always ask permission (standard practice) before attaching equipment or probes to participants face/head etc.
  • Keep bags in lockers and/or away from surfaces.
  • Share food together at meetings, from our kitchens, gardens, acknowledging where the food came from e.g., Tane (God of the Forest, an essential source of food, shelter and tools), animals, birds (manu), plants (tipu), separating underground and above ground.

Future Actions in planning to be conducted at Feast:

  • Visit Marae on campus or Levin.
  • Create a 3D video in the Tawa Loop Gorge walk to create a beautiful bush setting for our Immersive room.
  • Steer the direction of our studies to have better outcomes for Māori, from the planning stages to execution through regular contact with advisors to help all of us become familiar and comfortable with Te Reo, Kaupapa, Tikanga, Mātauranga etc.
  • Start lunch sessions to better understand myths and legends.
  • Te Tiriti training

Resources to enrich our knowledge and understanding: