Joining Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai

Naturally the Rōpu Mahinga kai or project team would like to meet prospective members of the TMK Forum kanohi ki te kanohi to discuss each others aspirations and learn whether we can be of asistance.  In the first instance prospective members might like to contact Ms Gail Thompson (the kaiwhakahaere of the Rōpu; Ph 03 212 8652; Email Gail@awarua.org.nz), Rau Kirikiri (a senior Māori advisor to the project team), or Nicola Morand, Research Team Manager of Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai Ph 03 4793928. The downloads below will give you more of an idea of the detailed requirements of how to join and what each members responsibilities and opprtunities entail.

Iwi entities joining Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai

The governance structure and protocol were approved at the hui held at Ōnuku marae on 12th and 13th November 2007. Iwi organisations and individuals eligible for membership can download the Join TMK Protocol, sign it , and return it to us to join. Send two copies of the signed Protocol to Kā Rakahau o Te Ao Tūroa (CSAFE), University of Otago,  PO Box 56, Dunedin.  We will see that the Rōpu Mahinga Kai receives a copy of your application to consider at their next meeting. If acceptable to the Rōpu, their chairperson will sign on behalf of the Forum and return one copy of the agreement to you.

Your management group or community may wish to view a TMK PowerPoint presentation about the project's kaupapa and some of the advantages (and potential risks) of becoming involved.  It was prepared after the first meeting of Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai's Forum at Huirapa in July 2007, but has since been updated to include the latest information.

Research and service providers wanting to support Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai

Researchers and research organisations must sign the TMK Research MoU with the Forum to be able to do research in Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai's name and receive invitations to Forum events.  It sets out a research 'Code of Practice' to ensure cultural safety for the kaitiaki and protects the researchers scientific ethics requirements, as well as agreeing on Intellectual Property Rights arising out of the research. Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai is as much about management as it is about research - so from time to time Te Tiaki Mahinga kai or it's iwi member entities may wish to engage the services of say aquaculture experts, or collaborate in reseeding or other types of restoration management.  These other service providers may wish use the same MOU as used for researchers, or modify it appropriately.

Subcontracted research for an individual iwi entity

The Forum has also suggested a TMK Host-Researcher-Memorandum of understanding to guide relationships between an individual iwi entity (that is a member of the Forum) and a researcher/service provider.  This would be used where the iwi entity secures funds to do a Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai 'subproject' and wishes to subcontract an approved TMK research provider to do the work.

Students wanted

If you are a student wanting to do Research projects for your wānanga courses, an Honours, masters, PhD or Postdoctoral project, see our Student Invite page.