TOKTALK returns to spotlight Māori and Pacific research

A growing community of Māori and Pacific researchers at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, will come together this April to share the methodologies shaping their work and strengthen connections across disciplines.

The third TOKTALK, hosted by Fofonga for Pacific Research Excellence, will collaborate for the first time with Māori researchers, highlighting the importance of connectedness across the Moana.

Taking place on Thursday 2 April from 5-7pm, the event will be hosted by Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori Professor Te Kawehau Hoskins and Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific Professor Jemaima Tiatia-Siau at the University’s Fale Pasifika.

TOKTALK is designed as an informal and energising meeting place where researchers and staff share the approaches that underpin their research. Each speaker delivers a seven-minute presentation as part of a lively series of talks, offering insights into the diverse ways Māori and Pacific scholars are generating knowledge across the University.

Director of Fofonga for Pacific Research Excellence and senior lecturer in Architecture and Planning Dr Charmaine ‘Ilaiū Talei says TOKTALK is about empowering researchers to explain their work in ways that are accessible and relatable.

“By relatable, I mean entertainingly human and humorous because of the sheer pressure to speak quickly and think concisely about one’s work,” she says. “The short rapid presentations come from my background as an architect, where we do similar talks called PechaKucha in our industry.”

Dr ‘Ilaiū Talei says TOKTALK encourages researchers to communicate their work in ways that connect beyond academic spaces.

“I think we can get too serious about our research, but when we go home and talk about it to the people who matter or to those outside of academia, how do we share it? This is what TOKTALK is about, talking plainly but effectively about our research.”

She says bringing Māori and Pacific researchers together for the event is a meaningful step.

“Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland has long been a leader in Māori and Pacific research methodologies, and this is a small way to acknowledge the mahi of those who came before us and those who continue that legacy at our university.”

The format encourages connection, creativity and collaboration, helping researchers discover shared interests and new possibilities for working together.

Research Programme Manager Ioana Hill says the event also creates a space where the intersections between Māori and Pacific research can be explored openly.

“Our research communities are culturally diverse, and many researchers hold connections to both Māori and Pacific cultures, often drawing on both knowledge systems in their work,” she says.

“Having a space like TOKTALK allows those intersections to be valued and explored, while also recognising the distinct nuances of Māori and Pacific research methodologies.”

The upcoming event will feature a range of speakers from across the University, including doctoral candidates, early-career researchers and senior academics.

Speakers include Professor Te Kawehau Hoskins, Dr Ngahuia Harrison, Professor Sarah-Jane Paine, Associate Professor Dan Hikuroa, Ayla Hoeta, Nona Taute, Laki Tiatia, Esmeralda Lo Tam, Associate Professor Sam Manuela, Dr Emalani Case, Dr Sisikula Sisifa and Teresa Brown.

Together, their presentations will highlight the breadth of Māori and Pacific scholarship and the methodologies guiding research across fields such as health, environment, culture and community wellbeing.

Fofonga for Pacific Research Excellence supports Pacific research at Waipapa Taumata Rau by helping researchers, faculties and academic units identify opportunities, build research capability and strengthen networks that advance Pacific scholarship in Aotearoa New Zealand and throughout the Pacific region.

Hill says TOKTALK also gives researchers the opportunity to share the motivations behind their work.

“Many of our presenters begin by sharing their family, their upbringing and the communities that have shaped them,” she says. “It reminds us that for many Māori and Pacific researchers, the ‘why’ behind their research is deeply relational and connected to improving outcomes for their communities.”

As the TOKTALK series grows, it continues to serve as a meeting place where ideas are exchanged, relationships are built and Māori and Pacific research excellence is celebrated.