Overview
Nīkau Wi Neera comes to Cornell from Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, where he earned a Bachelor of Music and a Postgraduate Diploma in Anthropology. His specialism was the preservation, reconstruction, and practice of Tāonga Puoro, the ancient musical instruments of the Māori. His Masters research will focus on indigenous responses to the dual pressures of settler colonialism and climate change during the Little Ice Age, with a particular interest in changes in political economy, labour relations, and agriculture.
Nīkau's tribal affiliations are to Ngāti Toarangatira, Kāi Tahu, Ngāpuhi, and Ngāti Pāhauwera