The James Henare Research Centre celebrates the recent graduation of one of our research assistants Kaakatarau Te Pou Kohere

5 May 2024

The James Henare Research Centre celebrates the recent graduation of one of our research assistants, Kaakatarau Te Pou Kohere (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Kai Tahu, Ngai Tūhoe). Graduating with a bachelor’s Degree in History and Māori Studies, Kaaka is now undertaking his Honours degree in History.

Speaking on his experience at James Henare Research Centre, Kaaka reflects that “It has been an awesome learning experience with a lot of exposure to excellent academic whakaaro, tikanga, and mahinga while also being grounded in Kaupapa Māori and rangahau with our communities”. Kaaka further comments that while working at the Centre, he has also gained an appreciation for the amount of mahi that goes into rangahau for the communities we serve, as well as the legacies of our tīpuna o te whare Tā Hemi Henare and Te Ao Māori as a whole. For Kaaka, the James Henare Research Centre has had a “massive effect” in shaping his thoughts and approach to his mahi at Waipapa Taumata Rau/The University of Auckland and where he wants to go in the world. He notes “the tautoko and akiaki provided by my fellow kaimahi at the Whare have been pivotal in shaping my whakaaro and providing new ideas to go back and unpack with my whānau outside of Tāmaki Makaurau. Ngā mihi manako nunui atu anō hoki kia koutou ma, mei kore ko koutou, ka aha au?”. In the future, Kaaka not only aspires to do well in his Honours studies but also to be of service to Kaupapa and hapori Māori, particularly communities close to his home in Te Tairawhiti.

The James Henare Research Centre team congratulates Kaaka on his success.