Waikato University welcome for Ngāti Kuri elder

Media Release
September 22, 2009

Waikato University welcome for Ngāti Kuri elder

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SPECIAL VISIT: Ngāti Kuri elder Saana Murray speaking at the University of Waikato. Her visit acknowledged the work done by the university’s Honey Research Unit. Photo: Myles McInnes.

Māori rights advocate and the last remaining signatory to the Wai262 claim, Saana Murray, has visited the University of Waikato to acknowledge the research work done by the university’s Honey Research Unit.

Mrs Murray, a Ngāti Kuri elder, visited the university on September 17. She met Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford and other university representatives to express her appreciation to the university over its advanced research work in manuka honey for the benefit of Māori and all of New Zealand.

Mrs Murray was one of six claimants who, on behalf of their iwi, filed the Wai262 claim (Waitangi Tribunal claim 262) in 1991. The claim concerns the rights over flora and fauna and has since expanded to issues regarding intellectual property. Mrs Murray, along with her whānau, travelled from the Far North to Auckland on September 15 for Mrs Murray to receive a Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit award before continuing on to Hamilton for the university function.

The university’s Honey Research Unit specialises in investigating the healing properties of honeys such as their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Its research has shown that manuka honey is a premium honey for killing bacteria and healing wounds.

Caption:
SPECIAL VISIT: Ngāti Kuri elder Saana Murray speaking at the University of Waikato. Her visit acknowledged the work done by the university’s Honey Research Unit. Photo: Myles McInnes.

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