Pūtahi Manawa - Healthy Hearts for Aotearoa NZ

06/10/2025

🇫🇯𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐰𝐚 𝐧𝐢 𝐕𝐨𝐬𝐚 𝐯𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐢– Fijian Language Week

🎉𝟓 - 𝟏𝟏 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

The 2025 theme for Fijian Language Week is ‘Na noqu vosa me na tekivu mai vale – My language starts at home’.

Language lies the foundation for identity and culture. When Fijian is spoken at home, children grow up understanding traditions, values, and stories that are embedded in the language. This helps preserve cultural heritage and strengthens a sense of belonging.

Follow NZ Fijian Language Week for more.

03/10/2025

🇹🇻 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐚𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐨 𝐨 𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐓𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮 – 𝐓𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤

This week, we join communities across Aotearoa to celebrate Tuvalu Language Week, a time to honour the rich language, culture, and people of Tuvalu.

Nuseta (Talita) Hope, Pacific Profile Coordinator at Pūtahi Manawa, descends from the islands of Funafuti and Nukulaelae of Tuvalu. She brings a passion for supporting Pacific students through her role as Fatu Malosi Co-Lead and amplifying Pacific voices in research and heart health initiatives.

🌊 Join Nuseta and Pūtahi Manawa as we learn, share, and celebrate the language and heritage of Tuvalu.

‘𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐦𝐨 𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐚 𝐤𝐚𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐞 – 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯’.

29/09/2025

🇹🇻𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐚𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐨 𝐨 𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐓𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮 – 𝐓𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤

28 September - 4 October 2025

The 2025 theme for Tuvalu Language Week is ‘Faipati mo te mautinoa kae amanaia tou fakavae – Speak confidently and respect your foundation’.

Learn more about Gana Tuvalu -https://www.mpp.govt.nz/assets/2024-pacific-language-weeks/Tuvalu-language-week/Te-gana-tuvalu-language-cards.pdf

29/09/2025

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

Globally, one in five people will die early from cardiovascular disease (CVD), which claims more lives than cancer and chronic respiratory diseases combined. Yet, up to 80% of heart disease and stroke cases are preventable.

The theme for World Heart Day 2025 is Don’t Miss a Beat. Loved ones around the world are missing out on time they should still have to spend together due to early deaths from CVD. Which is why, this 29 September, we join the World Heart Federation to tell the world: Don’t Miss a Beat.

Check out this inspo to get moving, Cook Islands style.

Anuanua Dance Troupe - Cook Island Entertainment

24/09/2025

𝐍𝐠ā 𝐦𝐢𝐡𝐢 𝐧𝐮𝐢 𝐤𝐢 𝐧𝐠ā 𝐤𝐚𝐢𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐰𝐡𝐢 𝐨 𝐓𝐞 𝐊𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐢 𝐏ū𝐭𝐚𝐡𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚.

Te Korowai Pūtahi Manawa is a Project Fund that champions community-driven, Māori-led research with a kaupapa Māori approach to heart health. The fund was initiated and led by Dr Karen Brewer, Pūtahi Manawa Co-Director Māori, and the Pūtahi Manawa Māori Leadership Team for projects between $50k and $250k, up to three years duration. Recipients embody deep passion and purpose, are firmly rooted in their communities, and share a powerful commitment to improving heart health outcomes for Māori.

Congratulations to the recipients of Te Korowai Pūtahi Manawa.

Te Korowai Pūtahi Manawa is a Project Fund that champions community-driven, Māori-led research with a kaupapa Māori approach to heart health. The fund was initiated and led by Dr Karen Brewer, Pūtahi Manawa Co-Director Māori, and the Pūtahi Manawa Māori Leadership Team for projects between $5...

23/09/2025

Ngā mihi nui, Dr. Jamie-Lee Rahiri 👏🏽 🌺

Dr Rahiri is one of four 2025 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellows for Australasia, and represented Aotearoa New Zealand.

The L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Australia & New Zealand Fellowships have been awarded each year since 2007 to outstanding early-career female scientists. The 2025 award ceremony was held in Naarm Melbourne, last week.

The award acknowledges Dr Rahiri's research that seeks to embed equity, improve cultural safety and effectiveness of surgical care pathways in Aotearoa.

"As a mother of three daughters, it's important that they see that you..... can be here with surgical excellence with our values and grounded in Tikanga Māori."

Read More - https://www.instagram.com/p/DOnE_yAEYop/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Aucklandt

22/09/2025

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

Associate Professor Andrew Reynolds has been recognised for his research excellence, including leading a successful community diabetes and obesity trial in Ōtepoti Dunedin, with funding from Pūtahi Manawa.

Read the full story - https://www.putahimanawa.ac.nz/news/celebrating-excellence-andrew-reynolds-receives-rowheath-trust-award-and-carl-smith-medal-for-research-impact

University of Otago
Te Kāika

Associate Professor Andrew Reynolds from the Department of Medicine at Ōtākou Whaikahu Waka | University of Otago, whose contribution to human nutrition and public health is globally recognised, has been awarded the Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal.

16/09/2025

🎉 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐦ā𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐚 𝐓𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐤𝐢 𝐨 𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐨 𝐌ā𝐨𝐫𝐢!

𝟑　𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬　𝐭𝐨　𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧　𝐓𝐞　𝐑𝐞𝐨　𝐌ā𝐨𝐫𝐢

🇳🇿 𝟏. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲

For Māori, learning their ancestral language fosters a strong sense of identity and pride in their heritage. For non-Māori, it fosters a deeper connection to the land and people.

🫶🏿 𝟐. 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡

Did you know that a study in 2019 found a correlation between speaking Te Reo Māori and a drop in the rate of progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes?
People with diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease, so speaking Te Reo Māori, particularly if you are Māori, might help protect your heart!

Full details: https://healthierlives.co.nz/surprise-te-reo-maori-finding-in-prediabetes-research/ #:~:text=The%20research%20found%20that%20M%C4%81ori,socioeconomic%20factors%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20says.

🧠 𝟑. 𝐂𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Speaking more than one language has been shown to boost cognitive skills, improving problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking abilities.

🔎 Go to https://www.reomaori.co.nz/ for more resources

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori

16/09/2025

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐙’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

At the Times Higher Education (THE) Campus Live 2025, Pūtahi Manawa Co-Director Pacific, Soteria Ieremia, highlighted how partnership, community, and co-design contribute to universities’ efforts to deliver research that benefits Aotearoa.

Read the full story

At the Times Higher Education (THE) Campus Live 2025, Pūtahi Manawa Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) highlighted how partnership, community, and co-design contribute to universities’ efforts to deliver research that benefits Aotearoa. As the only national Centre of Research Excellence represe...

15/09/2025

🎉𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐉𝐚𝐱𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐲-𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧 (𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐚) 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐎𝐭ā𝐤𝐨𝐮 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐡𝐮 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐚 - University of Otago.

Jaxson won the student research poster prize for the Heart Satellite at Queenstown Research Week.

Jaxson participated in our Fatu Malosi Pacific summer research programme last summer and was awarded the Pūtahi Manawa Pacific Postgraduate Scholarship

The poster presented his honours research, which has developed a new assay to rapidly screen potential arrhythmogenic genetic variants identified in NZ patients, supervised by Professor Pete Jones (University of Otago).

His desire to do this was to accelerate what is known about genetic variants in Māori and Pacific people. Currently, there is a good database for European patients, allowing genetic variants to be determined as pathological or not; this is not the case in other populations. He has also begun to use the assay to screen novel anti-arrhythmic drugs.

Jaxson reflected on the event, "It was great to be able to not only share my research that I have conducted for Honours, but more importantly, talk about the future uses of my research to more quickly mitigate the disparity in Māori and Pasifika cardiovascular research."

14/09/2025

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐦ā𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐚 𝐓𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐤𝐢 𝐨 𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐨 𝐌ā𝐨𝐫𝐢!

Celebrate with us, Pūtahi Manawa, the 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.

14 – 20 September 2025.

Here are some ways to celebrate Te Reo Māori:

🖤 Choose to use te reo Māori in everyday conversations, even a few words or phrases.

🤍 Challenge yourself by using our website in Te Reo Māori instead of English.

❤️ Come together with others who speak te reo to increase your confidence e.g. coffee catch up, kapa haka, sports etc.

🖤 Understand the importance of why we need to revitalise te reo Māori.

05/09/2025

"𝙂𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 [𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙] $13 𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨."

At least one in five of us has high blood pressure, but most of us don't know we have it. Untreated, it can lead to serious problems like stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. This makes a new discovery by researchers at Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau, all the more exciting.

Professor Julian Paton, Pūtahi Manawa Co-Director, was involved in the research and spoke to RNZ this week.

At least one in five of us have high blood pressure but most of us don't know we have it. Untreated, it can lead to serious problems like stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. Which makes a new discovery by researchers at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland all the more exciting. Professo...