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Dr Michael Stevens is a Ngāi Tahu historian currently working for Aukaha on the development of a Ngāi Tahu cultural narrative for Dunedin city. He is one of several people contributing to this project that is compiling Ngāi Tahu associations across the city before and since its British colonial settlement, which began in 1848. Aukaha is undertaking…

Last year Aukaha signed a contract with MSD for a Managed Apprenticeship Trust Plan in Otago. The plan is part of the wider philosophy of Aukaha and our partners to build human capital, whānau wealth creation and a strong economy. Aukaha will lead an integrated system that supports and connects Māori and Pacifica to jobs…

The Ministry for Education is encouraging schools to more consistently recognise the history and ongoing presence of mana whenua. A key way of doing this is through the development of cultural narratives when a school site is being developed or significantly renovated. This was a core element of the Christchurch school rebuild process, in which relevant…

Mahika kai is an intrinsic part of Kāi Tahu identity, and is one of the key values that Aukaha works to protect.Mahika kai is the gathering of foods and other resources, the places where they are gathered and the practices used in doing so. It has formed the basis of the Kāi Tahu economy for…

Another mahika kai species particularly valued in the south is kanakana or lamprey. Kanakana are an unusual and ancient fish – they look a bit like eels, are boneless (instead having cartilage like sharks), and have been around for over 360 million years – this means they have survived four mass extinctions and existed at…