<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:12px"><em>Robyn Richardson and Gill Potaka Osborne during Robyn&rsquo;s presentation to the Research team</em></span></p>

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<p>Pae Tawhiti scholarship 2017 recipient, Robyn Richardson (Ng&#257;ti Hauiti, Ng&#257;ti Raukawa, Ng&#257;ti Tuwharetoa, Te Wh&#257;nau &#257; Apanui, Ng&#257;ti Whanaunga ki Hauraki) recently presented on her research progress to Whakauae staff. Robyn was awarded the Whakauae Pae Tawhiti scholarship to support her doctoral study in M&#257;ori Development and Advancement at Te Whare W&#257;nanga o Awanui&#257;rangi. She has a long history of engagement in the health sector as a rongo&#257; practitioner as well as in M&#257;ori health workforce development, health promotion and mental health. Robyn is a member of both the Mana Whenua Hauora Iwi Relationship Board at MidCentral District Health Board and of the Central PHO Board. She has been the co-ordinator of Te Rau Puawai M&#257;ori Mental Health Workforce Development programme in the College of Health at Massey University since 2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Robyn&rsquo;s presentation to Whakauae included her development of her PhD research focus. The creation of a Richardson wh&#257;nau papakainga, on ancestral whenua in the Rangit&#8153;kei&nbsp;near the &#332;hakea Airforce Base, is at the heart of her study, <em>Te Rongo &#257; Mangam&#257;hoe: Wh&#257;nau Succeeding as wh&#257;nau</em>. &nbsp;Robyn&rsquo;s overarching research question asks: &ldquo;In what ways has papakainga facilitated the expression of rongo &#257; at Mangam&#257;hoe&rdquo;? The impact of the papakainga developmental journey on wh&#257;nau wellbeing will be tracked throughout her study.</p>

<p>Robyn explains that her wh&#257;nau once lived on many papakainga from the river mouth of Rangit&#8153;kei awa all the way up to Ohinepuhiawe.&nbsp; However, with most of the ancestral whenua having been lost through colonisation and the &lsquo;land grab&rsquo;, the only remaining occupation is at Mangam&#257;hoe. Here, Robyn&rsquo;s wh&#257;nau are multi-owners of a few blocks around where her father is ahi k&#257;.&nbsp; Robyn&rsquo;s father has lived at &#333;hakea for 83 years, and his koroua and his t&#363;puna, Te Keremihana Wairaka were also resident there. He is now the only ahi k&#257; living along the banks of the Rangit&#8153;kei from Tangimoana to Ohinepuhiawe. The Richardson wh&#257;nau papakainga is being established alongside Robyn&rsquo;s father&rsquo;s whare, following three intensive years of feasibility assessment and planning by the wh&#257;nau</p>
