Hana Merenea O’Regan

Hana O’Regan was born in Wellington and was educated at Kelburn Normal School, Roseneath Primary School, and Queen Victoria Māori Girls’ Boarding School. She was an AFS exchange student in her final school year and attended Chaeng Ron Wittiya School in Bangkok, Thailand. Hana continued her studies at Victoria University and graduated with a B.A. in Māori Studies and Political Science in 1993. In 1994 she completed a Post Graduate Diploma of Arts in Māori Studies at Otago University. Her dissertation was entitled "Mahu Kura Kai Tahu". In 1997 she was awarded the RSA Certificate in teaching English Language to Adults from the Waikato Language Institute. In July 1998 Hana was awarded her Master of Arts with Distinction in Māori Studies at Otago University. Her thesis, entitled "Ko Tahu, Ko Au", deals with the factors influencing ethnic identity development using Ngāi Tahu as a case study. During 1992 and 1993 she worked as a contract researcher for the Education Policy Division of Te Puni Kōkiri, and from 1991-1992 was a Māori Researcher for Aoraki Consultant Services. In 1993 she was appointed Assistant Research Officer for Te Tira Whakaemi Kōrero: Māori Research Unit in the Māori Studies Department at Victoria University and she also tutored in the Māori Studies Department. She was a Lecturer of Māori at the University of Otago for four years and is currently Head of Language, Te Tapuae o Rehua, [a group aligned to Lincoln University, Te Runanga o Ngāi Tahu Teachers’ College], based at Christchurch Polytechnic. She is part of a Language Planning Team of the Ngāi Tahu Development Corporation who "consider the ongoing development and planning of Te Wanaka Reo Rumaki and other language revitalistion initiatives." Hana writes poetry, waiata, and non-fiction articles and papers. She is a regular contributor to Te Karaka Magazine: The Ngāi Tahu Tribal Magazine and writes articles on issues of "Ngāi Tahu culture and language, identity politics, waiata/poetry and significant events within the tribe." She was a member of the Ngāi Tahu Māori Law Centre Management Committee since 1995-1997 and is a member of Te Runanga o Moeraki.

Hana took up a position at CPIT (Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology) in 1997 where she headed the Māori language programme before taking up the position of Head of School in 2000. After four years at CPIT Hana took up the position of Manager of the Māori Language Unit of the Ngāi Tahu tribal organisation where she helped develop and lead the tribal language strategy for a further four years. She returned to CPIT as Dean of Te Puna Wānaka, the new Faculty of Māori Studies, in 2006. In 2015 She was appointed General Manager - Oranga for Ngāi Tahu.

Hana has been a member of The Māori Language Commission – Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – since 2003. The bulk of Hana’s recent publications has been centred on Kāi Tahu tribal stories and histories for rakatahi, and most recently published an anthology of Māori poetry, Kupu with co-author Charisma Rangipunga.

She is the proud mum of two beautiful children.

Biographical sources

• Correspondence from Hana O’Regan, 9 Feb. 1998.
• O’Regan, Hana. "Post Colonialism: ‘Ko te Mate Kurupopo - The Festering Wound’." Women’s Studies Journal 11.1&2 (1995): 54.
• https://lianza2009.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/keynote-speaker-double-banger/ 9 November 2016
• http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/hana-oregan-appointed-general-manager-oranga-ngai-tahu 9 November 2016