Paper Title
Unlocking the Science and Innovation Potential of Māori Knowledge, Resource and People

Abstract
The Ātea Spearhead, part of the National Science Challenges of New Zealand, aims to address the biggest science-based issues and opportunities facing New Zealand in order to grow the New Zealand economy. The long-term objective of the Ātea Spearhead is to support the build of prosperous, culturally thriving, technology-driven Māori economies.Ātea aspires to develop a range of digital initiatives that will allow diasporic and local Māori to remain connected with each other and with their tribal groups. The Spearhead project offers methods to securely store Māori data, knowledge, histories, stories and artifacts in a variety of formats while providing ways to access and interrogate those data so that theyremain secure and private. Additionally, Ātea are developingaugmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies to enable local and dispersed Māori to have a presence at home without actually having to travel there. They are also able to be with, see, and listen to family and tribal members in the present tense, and be present while listening to histories and tribal stories that were related in the past. The project is underpinned by tikanga Māori and kaupapa Māori which means the design, development, deployment and presentation of Ātea outcomes are delivered in ways that are appropriate for Māori. These initiatives are expected to reinforce language and cultural learnings while normalising the use of the Māori language and the visibility of Māori culture within the societal fabric of New Zealand. Keywords - Māori Language, Māori Diaspora, Mātauranga Māori, Te Reo Māori, Māori and Technology.