First-of-its-kind scholarship awarded to wahine Māori
Metiria-Hinekorangi Doyle is thrilled to be the first recipient of the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research Scholarship in Māori Economics.
“The future is Māori” according to a report into the Māori economy commissioned by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in 2018. It found that te ōhanga Māori, the Māori economy, with a young workforce and rapid rate of growth, is diversifying far beyond the primary sector and Treaty settlements. As well as being key to Māori wellbeing, the Māori economy is a significant and increasingly important contributor to the wider economy of Aotearoa.
NZIER established the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research Scholarship in Māori Studies expressly for economics students like Metiria-Hinekorangi who have an interest in the Māori economy or issues affecting Māori.
The scholarship is co-funded by Taihonoa, Te Herenga Waka’s Māori strategic partnership programme which builds mutually beneficial opportunities for scholarships, internships, and research.
Professor Hai Lin, Head of Te Kura Ohaoha Pūtea, the School of Economics and Finance says he is incredibly excited about the establishment of a new scholarship in Māori Economics.
“This scholarship provides tremendous help for the School to encourage students to study Māori economics and reflects our long-standing efforts to engage with Māori communities.”
Now in her third year of study towards conjoint degrees in Law and Commerce, Metiria-Hinekorangi is excited by the possibilities te ōhanga Māori creates.
“Te ōhanga Māori allows for financial decisions to be made in a more sustainable way and provides for the generations to come. I would love to see more Māori offering financial advice to their iwi rather than bringing in outside sources.”
Metiria-Hinekorangi is affiliated to Ngaa Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Rangi, Te Ātihaunui-ā-Papārangi, and Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga me Te Atiawa hoki. Her full name Metiria-Hinekorangi Makareta Tawhirikura Doyle has been chosen to reflect this rich heritage as the names commemorate significant wāhine.
After learning te reo Māori as her first language at Motukairangi Te Kōhanga Reo in Wellington, Metiria-Hinekorangi relocated to Sydney for six years, where she learned English along with her siblings. When she began sounding “a bit too Australian” they returned to Wellington where she reconnected with her te reo at Te Kura Kaupapa o Ngā Mokopuna.
Through an inspirational teacher at Wellington East Girl’s College, she developed a love of economics, with encouragement from her father who works in the finance sector. She sees it as a universal language with global impact. An investigation of the Wellington Tenths Trust in history class made her curious about economic issues affecting Māori and the law.
“When I arrived at university, I noticed how few women and how few Māori were studying economics, making it even more significant to work in this field as a wahine Māori. I was delighted to discover that NZIER value my perspective and that I can contribute positively to this field.
“I am immensely grateful for the scholarship and the financial support it provides me with, allowing me to devote more time to focusing on my studies rather than working."
Todd Krieble, Deputy Chief Executive of NZEIR says the scholarship is an excellent fit with the Institute's 'Public Good Programme.’
"Our kaupapa to educate and inform debate on significant economic and policy issues in New Zealand aligns perfectly with this scholarship and we are delighted to offer it to Metiria-Hinekorangi."
Excited about the possibilities that scholarships like this unlock for students, Metiria-Hinekorangi often helps others with their applications. She feels that in the past Māori may not have felt entitled to scholarships or may have felt whakamā, so she encourages Māori students—don’t be shy to apply.
Although keen to travel overseas to “fill up her basket of knowledge” as her grandmother would say, Metiria-Hinekorangi would eventually like to find a role helping her people.
“After my interview with NZIER and learning about their initiatives in this discipline, I have identified new career pathways. My eyes have been opened to the substantial opportunities economics can provide as a future career. I hadn’t realised how much economic research could be about people and not just numbers.”