Founder Lecture

Dame Cindy Kiro spoke about the importance of research and her confidence in the Alexander Turnbull Library, not just as a secure repository, but a place where researchers can rely on the knowledge and support of professional staff.

In his korero, “The Māori writer as New Zealand practitioner” Witi talked about the propulsive energy of whakapapa, the inward spiral, which continues to motivate him and others to write the Māori story, the story of iwi, whanau and tangata within the complexities of an ever-changing Aotearoa New Zealand.

The second part of the korero, “The writer as Indigenous artisan” was more personal as Witi traced the outward-moving spiral which, following a 16-year career in Foreign Affairs, motivated him not just “to write the talk but also talk it and walk it” as an international artist. This is the lesser known story or kaupapa, of the Māori writer as an active supporter of indigenous peoples.

Historian Dr Monty Soutar discusses the art and challenges of presenting historical material through his bestselling Kāwai novel series.

In the 2026 Founder Lecture Catherine Hammond will discuss the role and impact of photographic archives as complex repositories of memory and research, drawing on her career working with artists archives in major cultural institutions in Aotearoa over the past two decades.