The theme for this years 8th Biennial International Indigenous Research Conference (IIRC18) is “Indigenous Futures”, and in 2018 keynotes are being delivered by Dr Chelsea Bond (Munanjahli and South Sea Islander woman), Dr Marie Delorme (Métis, Canada), Professor Charles Menzies (First Nations, Canada, Member of Gitxaala Nation), 'Aulani Wilhelm (Hawaiian), Professor Poia Rewi (Tūhoe, Ngāti Manawa, Te Arawa) and Ka Haka II special guest keynote Maree Sheehan (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Waikato).

E te tai whakarunga, e te tai whakararo, pari mai ki te ākau o Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga e mihi manahau ake ki a tātou katoa i runga i tēnei wiki o te reo Māori.

Kakama mai i runga i ngā ngaru pae o whakapeto ngoi, i ngā ngaru pou o whakatangetange riaka.  Kia rite ai te reo ki te tai o te tahuna moana, ka ngunguru i te pō, ka ngunguru i te ao.

Nā reira, me whakaihuwaka tātou i a tātou anō, kia huakina mai te whatitoka o te whare o te reo Māori, kia whiua reretia ana ki tēnā tae ki tēnā awaawa ki tēnā moka ki tēnā kōtihitihi.

Professor Poia Rewi (Tūhoe, Ngāti Manawa, Te Arawa) has been appointed Deputy Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga 1 July 2018 - 31 December 2020.

Poia is Dean of Te Tumu, School of Māori, Pacific & Indigenous Studies, University of Otago, and a NPM Principal Investigator who has extensive research expertise in Indigenous language revitalisation, te reo me ngā tikanga Māori, Māori oratory, Māori performing arts and Māori history.

At the half way point of our current Centre of Research Excellence contract, we farewelled from the Research Leadership Team Drs' James Ataria (Lincoln University) and Emma Wyeth (University of Otago) who have completed their roles of Co-Deputy Director for NPM, since 2016 for a term of two and half years.