Kia whakemi i ngā kairangahau o Taranaki ake
Kia hui, kia whakwhiti kōrero, kia whakawhiti whakairo
Kia whakakōrerohia nga kaupapa rangahau o Taranaki

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The kaupapa of Te One Kakara is to sow the seeds of new ideas, thinking and research and cultivate the fruits so that our people may prosper. This is a gathering of Taranaki Researchers to discuss and share ideas and to disseminate their important work. Our research gathering derives its name from an Aotea waka historical narrative.

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On his return from Aotearoa to Hawaiki Kupe relayed instructions to Turi on how to determine an appropriate place for their people to settle. A key element of those instructions referred to the sweet scent of the soil. It is inferred that the sweet scent indicated high soil fertility for establishing food cultivation - a critically important consideration when determining where exactly to settle.

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We have long celebrated the scientific marvel of our ancestors’ navigation of the Pacific Ocean. One Kakara speaks to the scientific marvel of their successful establishment in a new environment. Based on Kupe’s direct observations during his initial journey to Aotearoa and use of multiple senses he developed then relayed a set of instructions to inform a major decision of the leadership of the Aotea waka.

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This is a narrative about gathering data from observation through senses, transmission of information, and successful implementation. In contemporary terms, Kupe and the leadership of Aotea demonstrated a robust and successful research process driven for the benefit of the collective.