New Zealand Māori leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to keynote Honolulu event on Indigenous sovereignty and climate justice.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, co-leader of New Zealand’s Te Pāti Māori, has been invited to deliver a keynote address in Honolulu as part of a Pacific-focused speaker series hosted by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and Kamehameha Schools. The event, organized by Kanaka Maoli scholars, centers on Indigenous sovereignty, climate justice, and ocean protection. During her visit, Ngarewa-Packer will engage with Native Hawaiian leaders, government officials, and Indigenous groups to strengthen cross-Pacific partnerships on decolonial governance and environmental stewardship. Her trip coincides with the completion of her PhD thesis at Massey University, which examines colonization’s impacts and the role of tino rangatiratanga in advancing Māori health equity. The visit highlights shared struggles and solutions among Pacific Indigenous peoples.