Inaugural Te Māori Fellows selected for prestigious Oxford University residencies, Oxford University, 22 September 2026
Digital heritage researcher Chanel Coromandel, master weaver Hamuera Manihera, and cultural interpretation expert Paora Tibble have been selected from more than 100 applicants to undertake a prestigious research residency at Oxford University’s Pitt Rivers Museum.
Ngātaiharuru Taepa, Deputy Chair of Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust says selecting three recipients for the inaugural Te Māori Fellowship was an incredibly difficult task. “We were impressed by the extraordinary talent and capability of the applicants. It bodes well for the future care of taonga Māori and the evolution of toi Māori.
“Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust sees fellowships as building an enduring pathway for more Māori researchers, practitioners and cultural leaders to connect with taonga Māori collections and institutions around the world.” Launched earlier this year, the Te Māori Fellowship is a partnership between Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and the Pitt Rivers Museum. It gives Māori cultural leaders the opportunity to lead research and apply mātauranga Māori to Pitt Rivers’ extensive taonga Māori collections. Evie O’Brien, Te Kura Toroa (CEO) of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa says pioneering this first cohort represents a major opportunity to return critical knowledge to grassroots communities.
“These taonga carry whakapapa, knowledge and stories that belong to our people, so creating opportunities for Māori researchers and practitioners to engage with them on their own terms is incredibly important. “We are exceptionally proud to support Chanel, Hamuera and Paora to take up this opportunity. What matters most is the knowledge, relationships and experience they bring home to benefit whānau, hapū, iwi and communities across Aotearoa.” For the host institution, welcoming this inaugural cohort from Aotearoa provides a practical pathway towards decolonisation.
Professor Laura Van Broekhoven, Director of the Pitt Rivers Museum, says, “We are honoured to welcome Chanel, Hamuera, and Paora as our inaugural Te Māori Fellows to Oxford. “The Pitt Rivers Museum is committed to actively reconciling past museum practices and addressing the ongoing impacts of colonisation on indigenous cultures. Opening our collections and archives to Indigenous Fellows helps address gaps in our knowledge and advance Indigenous-led approaches to interpretation and curation.”
Fellowship Project Focus Areas Each Te Māori Fellow will focus on a distinct area of research: Chanel Coromandel (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Whanaunga) will apply her digital archiving expertise to the historical archives of Mākereti Papakura, investigating safe approaches to digital care and reconnection.
Hamuera Manihera (Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Koata, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Toa) will explore early contact textile collections, applying generational knowledge to the design of regional heritage storage facilities. Paora Tibble (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Whānau a Apanui) will examine historic labelling methodologies to design a future Māori Language Interpretation Framework, to support whānau, hapū, and iwi engagement with collecting institutions on his return.
The inaugural Te Māori Fellows will undertake an intensive seven-week residency in Oxford, United Kingdom, from 12 October to 29 November 2026.