title: Reconnection with DNA: Policy and issues with direct-to-consumer DNA testing for indigenous Māori identity reclamation

authors: Turanga, Karen

abstract: The disconnection of tangata whenua (indigenous people born of the land) impacts all social determinants. A clear sense of identity and connection to the land and culture is an important solution to this problem. The purpose of this research is to share a personal and whānau (family group) story of using direct-to-consumer (DTC) autosomal DNA genetic testing (GT) to determine ancestry and show others a potential path forward to identity reclamation. To fulfil this purpose and explain the policy context, the research examines historical assimilation policies of closed cross-cultural adoption, and the possibilities DNA technology offers for whakapapa (genealogy, lineage descent, family history) reconnection. This includes addressing two key research questions: How does DTC-GT facilitate reconnection to Māori identity and whakapapa for cross-cultural adoptees? What are the short, medium and long-term risks and advantages of DTC autosomal DTC-GT testing for iwi Māori? A bricolage methodology frames this research and draws on kaupapa Māori (Māori approach, principles, and ideology), autoethnography, and interpretive phenomenology, which are used to analyse academic commentary and key policy decisions. An autoethnographic layered practice approach presents insights and key findings by combining personal narratives with various media types, academic research, policy documents and popular culture. The research highlights how the implicit processes of policy-led assimilation and colonisation still need to be challenged today. Existing literature has identified the importance of giving Māori pathways to reconnect with their identity. The personal story shared explains how DNA technology offers a way to do that, but the research completed for this thesis demonstrates this approach has serious risks and limitations that require consideration before utilising this technology.

text: Reconnection with DNA: Policy and issues with direct-to-consumer DNA testing for indigenous Māori identity reclamation The disconnection of tangata whenua (indigenous people born of the land) impacts all social determinants. A clear sense of identity and connection to the land and culture is an important solution to this problem. The purpose of this research is to share a personal and whānau (family group) story of using direct-to-consumer (DTC) autosomal DNA genetic testing (GT) to determine ancestry and show others a potential path forward to identity reclamation. To fulfil this purpose and explain the policy context, the research examines historical assimilation policies of closed cross-cultural adoption, and the possibilities DNA technology offers for whakapapa (genealogy, lineage descent, family history) reconnection. This includes addressing two key research questions: How does DTC-GT facilitate reconnection to Māori identity and whakapapa for cross-cultural adoptees? What are the short, medium and long-term risks and advantages of DTC autosomal DTC-GT testing for iwi Māori? A bricolage methodology frames this research and draws on kaupapa Māori (Māori approach, principles, and ideology), autoethnography, and interpretive phenomenology, which are used to analyse academic commentary and key policy decisions. An autoethnographic layered practice approach presents insights and key findings by combining personal narratives with various media types, academic research, policy documents and popular culture. The research highlights how the implicit processes of policy-led assimilation and colonisation still need to be challenged today. Existing literature has identified the importance of giving Māori pathways to reconnect with their identity. The personal story shared explains how DNA technology offers a way to do that, but the research completed for this thesis demonstrates this approach has serious risks and limitations that require consideration before utilising this technology.

year: 2025-08-08

title: Ngā Tuituinga o te Pōtae: Rangatahi perspectives of leadership within Ngāti Maniapoto

authors: Moss, Luke

subjects: Rangatahi

abstract: Research on youth leadership development is often saturated by adult perceptions and thus the literature often lacks youth voice and youth perspective on what integral areas are needed for successful youth leadership development. This research focuses on the rangatahi of Ngāti Maniapoto and their perspectives of leadership within the iwi to aid the gap in academic literature relating to youth perception of leadership development.

Maniapoto has an abundance of leadership examples from the plethora of tūpuna that have developed the iwi to the leaders of contemporary Maniapoto pushing the iwi forward. The purpose of this research is to delve into the perspectives of rangatahi Maniapoto that pertain to good leadership qualities, their perception of leadership, unique leadership styles within Maniapoto, rangatahi leadership skills and perspectives of youth development within the iwi. By interviewing rangatahi with strong connection to Maniapoto this information of their perspectives revealed four integral areas of rangatahi leadership development were collated into a model for dissemination and use within the iwi for youth development practices. This model is named Ngā Tuituinga o te Pōtae and has four areas, education, collective, communication and vision. Education was identified by rangatahi as they found that learning Maniapoto reo and tikanga was integral for a Maniapoto leader, in addition they saw an opportunity to establish a wānanga to future proof our Maniapototanga. A collective approach to leadership was highlighted as the rangatahi perceive that Maniapoto leaders need to be well known in the community and have good relationships with iwi members to be successful. Rangatahi reported that communication was an important attribute for leaders to have, not just speech but communicating by doing was essential for a Maniapoto leader. Finally, rangatahi explained that leaders need to have a vision for the taiao and a vision for our people to be a successful leader, and be able to take the iwi to a place they have not been to before.

This study adds to the scarce literature on youth perceptions on youth leadership development and definitively answers the question on how rangatahi of Maniapoto perceive leadership and how rangatahi of Maniapoto would develop leadership within Te Nehenehenui. The key findings presented in this thesis indicate that rangatahi from Maniapoto engage and identify leadership in many ways, however they do agree that leadership development is necessary for Maniapoto to flourish in the future. Applying this model and research within the iwi will create new foundations for leadership to grow within Maniapoto, and fill the gap of leadership for the iwi that rangatahi have identified.

text: Ngā Tuituinga o te Pōtae: Rangatahi perspectives of leadership within Ngāti Maniapoto Research on youth leadership development is often saturated by adult perceptions and thus the literature often lacks youth voice and youth perspective on what integral areas are needed for successful youth leadership development. This research focuses on the rangatahi of Ngāti Maniapoto and their perspectives of leadership within the iwi to aid the gap in academic literature relating to youth perception of leadership development.

Maniapoto has an abundance of leadership examples from the plethora of tūpuna that have developed the iwi to the leaders of contemporary Maniapoto pushing the iwi forward. The purpose of this research is to delve into the perspectives of rangatahi Maniapoto that pertain to good leadership qualities, their perception of leadership, unique leadership styles within Maniapoto, rangatahi leadership skills and perspectives of youth development within the iwi. By interviewing rangatahi with strong connection to Maniapoto this information of their perspectives revealed four integral areas of rangatahi leadership development were collated into a model for dissemination and use within the iwi for youth development practices. This model is named Ngā Tuituinga o te Pōtae and has four areas, education, collective, communication and vision. Education was identified by rangatahi as they found that learning Maniapoto reo and tikanga was integral for a Maniapoto leader, in addition they saw an opportunity to establish a wānanga to future proof our Maniapototanga. A collective approach to leadership was highlighted as the rangatahi perceive that Maniapoto leaders need to be well known in the community and have good relationships with iwi members to be successful. Rangatahi reported that communication was an important attribute for leaders to have, not just speech but communicating by doing was essential for a Maniapoto leader. Finally, rangatahi explained that leaders need to have a vision for the taiao and a vision for our people to be a successful leader, and be able to take the iwi to a place they have not been to before.

This study adds to the scarce literature on youth perceptions on youth leadership development and definitively answers the question on how rangatahi of Maniapoto perceive leadership and how rangatahi of Maniapoto would develop leadership within Te Nehenehenui. The key findings presented in this thesis indicate that rangatahi from Maniapoto engage and identify leadership in many ways, however they do agree that leadership development is necessary for Maniapoto to flourish in the future. Applying this model and research within the iwi will create new foundations for leadership to grow within Maniapoto, and fill the gap of leadership for the iwi that rangatahi have identified.

year: 2021

title: Total site heat integration of multi-effect evaporators with vapour recompression for older kraft mills

authors: Walmsley, Timothy Gordon

abstract: This paper aims to apply Total Site Heat Integration (TSHI) to appropriately integrate Mechanical and Thermal Vapour Recompression with multi-effect evaporators at older Kraft Mills, to cause a step reduction in fossil fuel use and its associated emissions. Heat and power demands for older Kraft Mills are chiefly satisfied from Recovery Boilers (RB), heavily supplemented by biomass/fossil fuel boilers, and integrated with steam turbines. Prior to firing, black liquor - the RB fuel - is concentrated from about 18 % to 67 % in a multi-effect evaporator, which demands 20 % of site-wide thermal energy. With access to renewable electricity, this study finds that vapour recompression can be economically integrated into a multi-effect evaporator at older Kraft Mills. The vapour recompression configuration with the greatest economic potential used 2-stages of mechanical vapour recompression and 1-stage of thermal vapour recompression. This system achieved a levelised profit of NZD 8.56 M/y, a payback period of 1.0 y and an internal rate of return of 103 %. An optimum integrated set-up needs to account for site-specific heat demand and utility supply profiles through TSHI.

text: Total site heat integration of multi-effect evaporators with vapour recompression for older kraft mills This paper aims to apply Total Site Heat Integration (TSHI) to appropriately integrate Mechanical and Thermal Vapour Recompression with multi-effect evaporators at older Kraft Mills, to cause a step reduction in fossil fuel use and its associated emissions. Heat and power demands for older Kraft Mills are chiefly satisfied from Recovery Boilers (RB), heavily supplemented by biomass/fossil fuel boilers, and integrated with steam turbines. Prior to firing, black liquor - the RB fuel - is concentrated from about 18 % to 67 % in a multi-effect evaporator, which demands 20 % of site-wide thermal energy. With access to renewable electricity, this study finds that vapour recompression can be economically integrated into a multi-effect evaporator at older Kraft Mills. The vapour recompression configuration with the greatest economic potential used 2-stages of mechanical vapour recompression and 1-stage of thermal vapour recompression. This system achieved a levelised profit of NZD 8.56 M/y, a payback period of 1.0 y and an internal rate of return of 103 %. An optimum integrated set-up needs to account for site-specific heat demand and utility supply profiles through TSHI.

year: 2017