Riki Parata
Ngāi Tahu, Te Āti Awa ki Whakarongotai
Kaiārihi Taiao | Taiao Mātauranga Māori Advisor
Hokonui Rūnanga
Riki Parata (Ngāi Tahu, Te Āti Awa ki Whakarongotai) holds a Masters in Environmental Management and is currently a PhD candidate. His work is grounded in a practical, hands-on commitment to te taiao and te ao tūroa, bringing mātauranga Māori and western science together to find workable, lasting solutions for the environment.
Through his work with Hokonui Rūnanga's Kaupapa Taiao and Taonga Research programmes, he has built strong relationships across the environmental and research sectors in Murihiku and beyond. Guided by kaitiakitanga, he focuses on the everyday work of caring for whenua, wai, and the taonga they sustain.