Hana Merenea O’Regan

Ngāi Tahu

1973 -



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

    Children's literature

  • Kā puna hauaitu. Wellington, N.Z.: H.A.N.A., 2007.
  • Co-author David O'Connell.
  • Te āhua o te pātiki. Wellington, N.Z.: H.A.N.A., 2007.
  • Co-author Charisma Rangipunga.
  • Tērā tētahi waka. Wellington, N.Z.: Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga e H.A.N.A. Ltd., 2007.
  • Co-authors David O'Connell, Chris Slane andTuri Park.
  • He ihu waka. Wellington, N.Z.: Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga e H.A.N.A. Ltd., 2007.
  • Co-authors Chris Slane and Turi Park.
  • Whakaroko ki te taki. Wellington, N.Z.: Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga e H.A.N.A. Ltd., 2007.
  • Co-author Maiangi J Waitai.
  • Kā Roimata. Wellington, N.Z.: Hana, 2008.
  • Co-authors Charisma Rangipunga and Iain Gordon.
  • Nō hea te hau. Wellington, N.Z.: H.A.N.A., 2008.
  • Ko wai hoki tērā mauka. Wellington, N.Z.: H.A.N.A., 2008.
  • Films/Video

  • The Sounds of Māori. Te Whare Wānanga o Otago: University of Otago, Audiovisual Production Section, 1994.
  • Hana O’Regan was co-editor of the script. She writes that this video is ‘an introduction to the basic sounds of the Māori language, guiding students through the first basic vowel sounds and introductory greetings.’
  • Non-fiction

  • ‘Beyond 16 - Ko Hea Inaianei?’ Wellington, N.Z.: Te Puni Kōkiri, Ministry of Māori Development, 1993.
  • Hana O’Regan writes that ‘this study was concerned with investigating the positive and negative factors influencing the decisions of Māori students who elect to continue their post-compulsory education beyond the age of 16.’
  • Te Puni Wahine. Editorial Committee: Hana O’Regan, Carla na Nagara, Rangihuia Bargh, Manuka Henare, Atawhai Tibble, Tipene Crisp, and Miria Simpson. Te Whanganui-a-Tara [Wellington], N.Z.: Huia, 1994.
  • This publication is composed of Māori language articles from Māori newspapers about Māori women in the decade of 1890-1900. Hana O’Regan co-researched, compiled, and was part of the Editorial Committee which produced Te Puni Wahine.
  • He Pakiwaitara. Editorial Committee: Hana O’Regan, Carla na Nagara, Rangihuia Bargh, Manuka Henare, Atawhai Tibble, Tipene Crisp, and Miria Simpson. Wellington, N.Z.: Huia, 1994.
  • A collection of articles from Māori newspapers which were published in the decade of 1890-1900. Hana O’Regan co-researched, compiled, edited material and was part of the Editorial Committee which produced He Pakiwaitara.
  • Te Māreikura. Editorial Committee: Hana O’Regan, Carla na Nagara, Rangihuia Bargh, Manuka Henare, Atawhai Tibble, Tipene Crisp, and Miria Simpson. Te Whanganui-a-Tara [Wellington], N.Z.: Huia, 1994.
  • A reprinting of the issue of the Māori newspaper, Te Māreikura, dated 1 August 1911. Hana O’Regan co-researched, compiled, edited material and was part of the Editorial Committee for the Te Māreikura.
  • "Post Colonialism: ‘Ko te Mate Kurupopo - The Festering Wound’." Women’s Studies Journal 11.1&2 (Aug 1995): 53-61. Rpt. in Works in Flux. Melbourne, Australia: History Dept., U of Melbourne, 1995. No further details.
  • In this critique of post-colonialism, Hana O’Regan illustrates her contention that ‘the post-colonial psyche is not much different from its ancestor the colonialist psyche’ by examining the Crown’s response to the Ngāi Tahu claim, and the attitude of Northern Māori tribes to Ngāi Tahu. Hana O’Regan makes the observation that in terms of the Crown’s responsibility to settle Treaty grievances, it is the Crown and settlers who were the offenders and ironically ‘[t]he offenders are acting as judge and jury of their own crimes, and then deciding how much they will pay in fines, and imposing their own time-payment arrangements!’
  • "A question of identity." Mana : the Maori news magazine for all New Zealanders, n.42 (Oct/Nov 2001): 51.
  • "Ka ipoipo te manu." Christchurch, N.Z.: Ngāi Tahu Development Corporation, c2002.
  • Co-author Ross Calman.
  • Ka whānau mai te hua. Christchurch, N.Z.: Ngāi Tahu Development Corporation, c2003.
  • "The Maori way?" Mana : the Maori news magazine for all New Zealanders, n.50 (Feb-Mar 2003): 104.
  • "Understanding will turn the tide." Sunday Star Times, (18 Jan 2004): C3.
  • "Coping with difference." Mana : the Maori news magazine for all New Zealanders, n.56 (Feb/Mar 2004): 67.
  • "Te Pataka Kōrero." Te Karaka : the Ngai Tahu magazine, n.24 (Win 2004): 32-34.
  • "Kura reo." Muka (Online) 19.4 (Pip 2007): 7.
  • "Maori education cop-out." The Press (2007 Mar. 23): A9.
  • "Children flourish in bilingual home." The Press (2007 July 25): A19.
  • "He tītī me te waihoka pōhutukawa; Mutton birds and red wine." Ka mate ka ora, n.6 (Sep 2008): 1-3.
  • "Toitū te iwi : a journey in the evolution of cultural identity." Kaharoa, 2 (2009): 77-88.
  • Kura kaumātua, he hokika mahara = Recalling the memories. Christchurch, N.Z.: Ake Associates, 2009.
  • Co-author Charisma Rangipunga.
  • "Igniting the spark : how to achieve collective ownership of a tribal language revitalisation strategy." Kaharoa, 5.1 (2012): 86-98.
  • "The fate of the customary language : Te Reo Māori 1900 to the present." Huia histories of Māori : ngā tāhuhu kōrero. Ed. Danny Keenan. Wellington, N.Z.: Huia, 2012.
  • "Modern composition." Kia rōnaki : the Māori performing arts. Rosedale, Auckland, N.Z.: Pearson, 2013.
  • "A new sense of hope for te reo." The Press (2013 July 5): A13.
  • "Kahuru kai ruka, kahuru kai raro." Auckland, N.Z.: AUT University, Te Ipukarea, 2015.
  • "Mihi." Fiona Pardington : a beautiful hesitation. Fiona Pardington and Kriselle Baker, Ed. Aaron Lister. Wellington, N.Z.: Victoria University Press in association with City Gallery Wellington and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2016.
  • "Taku hokikaki te kāika." Fiona Pardington : a beautiful hesitation. Fiona Pardington and Kriselle Baker. Ed. Aaron Lister. Wellington, N.Z.: Victoria University Press in association with City Gallery Wellington and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2016.
  • Other

  • "Mahu Kura Kai Tahu." Diss. Post Graduate Diploma of Arts in Māori Studies.
  • Hana O’Regan writes that her dissertation ‘looked at the role of waiata and te reo within Kai Tahu - it did include waiata composition and the waiata written are in the dissertation. That was written in Te Reo.’
  • Papers/Presentations

  • "Mai i kā kokoka o te kākau ki te ao : the role of technology in transmitting language examples across public and private domains within the Kāi Tahu language revitalisation context." Language endangerment in the 21st century : globalisation, technology and new media : proceedings of the Conference FEL XVI, 12-15 September 2012, AUT University, Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand. Ed. Tania Ka'ai. Auckland, N.Z.: Te Ipukarea, AUT University & Bath, England: Foundation for Endangered Languages, 2012.
  • Poetry

  • Kupu : a collection of contemporary Māori poetry. Christchurch, N.Z. : Ake Associates, 2007.
  • "E hine." Kaupapa : New Zealand poets, world issues. Baker, Hinemoana & McMillan, Maria. Wellington, N.Z.: Development Resource Centre, 2007.
  • Reviews

  • "Ka ngaro te reo - Māori language under siege in the 19th century." Karaka, n.70 (Win 2016): 49,51.
  • Theses

  • "Ko Tahu, Ko Au." MA thesis in Māori Studies. Otago U, 1998.
  • Her thesis deals with ‘the factors influencing ethnic identity development and focuses on the experiences of Ngāi Tahu as a case study. These factors are then discussed within the context of the wider Māori identity and the New Zealand environment. In doing so the issues of Ngāi Tahu exclusion and inclusion from the general Māori identity are raised.