Empowering Indigenous Knowledge at the Global Indigenous Astronomy Symposium

As we approach the IAU Symposium – Indigenous Astronomies and Worldviews: Indigenous Astronomy in the Space Age – to be held in Melbourne during NAIDOC Week (7–11 July 2025), Healthy Families East Cape is proud to announce that our Rautaki Māori, Jade Kameta, will be representing us on the world stage. This global platform brings together Indigenous astronomers and scientists from across the globe to explore how Indigenous worldviews can contribute to contemporary scientific understanding. Jade’s presentation will reflect the deep-rooted Māori knowledge that underpins our prevention systems and wellness initiatives. 

Jade will be co-presenting alongside his PhD supervisor, Dr Isaac Warbrick (Ngāti Te Ata, Te Arawa, Ngā Puhi), Director of the Taupua Waiora Centre for Māori Health Research. Their joint presentation, titled “It’s not a Horoscope” It’s a Māori system of celestial observation and implementation for achieving Indigenous well-being, will showcase how Indigenous astronomy is not only relevant but essential in reimagining modern systems of health and environmental care. 

The Indigenous Astronomies and Worldviews Symposium is about bridging indigenous wisdom with modern science. Their presentation will focus on embedding Tātai Arorangi (Māori astronomy) and Mātauranga Māori into our community health and wellbeing strategies in Te Tairāwhiti. Through this kaupapa, Healthy Families East Cape is not only upholding our ancestral knowledge but also championing it as a catalyst for systems change. By aligning our practices with global Indigenous movements, we are asserting that Māori ways of knowing, such as Maramataka and our understanding of the stars and natural rhythms, are vital for navigating both our past and future. 

“This kaupapa offers us a platform to show that our atua, stars, and worldview are not just relics of the past, but living tools that enable us to heal, restore balance, and thrive,” says Jade. “We’re actively demonstrating how systems designed for collective flourishing can be built upon the foundation of mātauranga māori, which has been refined over thousands of years.” 

Healthy Families East Cape is excited not only by the power of mātauranga in global dialogue, but also to be part of this international conversation, where we’ll be engaging with Indigenous thought leaders from around the world. This includes hearing from key-note speakers such as Associate Professor Duane Hamacher, one of the foremost non-indigenous experts in Indigenous astronomy. His work, based on trust and long-standing relationships with Indigenous communities, reflects the growing recognition of Indigenous knowledge in the scientific world. 

“This symposium is not just an opportunity to present, but also to learn, connect, and bring those lessons back to our people,” Jade adds. “This isn’t just about attending a symposium, it’s about shifting power toward Indigenous-led models of well-being that are relational, preventative, and intergenerational.” 

The event is also a critical moment in shifting the paradigm of how Indigenous knowledge is viewed within mainstream science, and a powerful move towards systems change. Historically, Indigenous knowledge and mātauranga has been relegated to the margins or treated as a curiosity, rather than as a foundational part of systems thinking. At the IAU Symposium, Jade will highlight how mātauranga Māori is not symbolic, but it is a rich, actionable knowledge base that can guide us in creating sustainable, culturally grounded systems that nurture collective health and balance with the environment. 

Our tīpuna left us with a profound understanding of the natural world, and an understanding that connected us to the stars, the environment, and each other. By revitalising this knowledge, we can build a future where our communities thrive in harmony with the world and those around us. Healthy Families East Cape is proud to be part of this ongoing movement, contributing to global systems change by placing indigenous leadership at the forefront of science and wellness. 

Follow us on social media and visit our website for updates as Jade prepares for his haerenga. As we lead into Matariki, let’s celebrate our mātauranga, our whenua, and our people on the global stage, as we continue to uplift Indigenous leadership in science and innovation.