Nona Hohepa-Taute

Nona is a PhD candidate in Environmental Engineering. His thesis aims to facilitate more efficient collaboration between Māori communities and non-Māori parties to utilise and develop geothermal resources.

Nona Hohepa-Taute

I believe doctoral research will help me broaden my horizons in the interface between Māori culture and environmental engineering.

Iwi engagement
“As a member of Te Ārawa and Tainui iwi, I am regularly engaging with various members of Te Ārawa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa hapū and obtaining historical and cultural mōhiotanga (knowledge) of Māori communities’ spiritual and physical links with geothermal resources in the central North Island. I also explore the different worldviews associated with geothermal development to pursue holistic decision-making and ensure cultural, environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
“Within geothermal development, Māori communities are under-benefited, and with little sustainability, our Te Ārawa and Tūwharetoa people are at risk of losing the very gift that our ancestors have thrived with for hundreds of years.
My personal background
“I am originally from Rotorua where I was immersed in Māori culture and language, and utilised geothermal resources as a member of the local community. By combining my cultural heritage with an education from a Western engineering institute, I have the ability to help facilitate sustainable change and increase cultural awareness in the engineering space for our people.
“I hope to raise our younger generation's awareness of past, present and future issues that Māori communities may face if the current direction of geothermal utilisation continues.”