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He Ariā
He āwangawanga nō ngā tāngata, ka pātaitai rātou: Ka
ahu te kaupapa nei, a Māori Studies, ki hea hei ngā rā kei
tua? Na, ka tirotiro atu tēnei pepa ki ngā tau tīmatanga
o te kaupapa nei i roto i ngā kāreti nunui, arā, ngā whare
wānanga o nāianei. Nā Tā Āpirana Ngata i whakatō, i
whakanoho tēnei kākano a ngā tīpuna i te tau 1928. Ka
tipu ake i Te Whare Wānanga o Ākarana i muri i te tau
1952. Nā Bruce Biggs mā i tiaki, i taki te puanga o te reo
me ngā tikanga Māori i taua wānanga rā. Hei te pepa nei,
ka kitea te hua nui o tēnei kaupapa, o Māori Studies, me
tana whakarei, tana whakapūmau i aua mōrehu taonga i
roto i ia whare wānanga, i ia whare wānanga, hei tikitiki
mō ngā māhunga o te katoa.

Abstract
Prompted by doubts about the future of Māori Studies
within New Zealand universities, this paper examines
the foundational years of the subject, in particular, Sir
Āpirana Ngata’s strategic introduction of Māori in 1928,
and the establishment at Auckland University of a
teaching programme from 1952 under the leadership of
Bruce Biggs. The paper concludes that Māori Studies
still has a vital role to play in enhancing the Māori
cultural and intellectual heritage within New Zealand’s
universities.