Inverness-Moana Cowles
Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America, Indigenous Rights & Histories in Brazil
Introduction
Kia Ora koutou ko Inverness tōku ingoa Ko Ngāti Hine, Te Kapotai, Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rahiri, Ngāti Hauā ōku hapū. Ko Ngātokimatawhaorua, me Tainui ōku waka. Kei Ōtiria tōku kāinga.
My name is Inverness Cowles. I was born and raised in a financially humble home with my mother and her parents (a modern take on the traditional Maori village environment) in the small rural town of Moerewa. I am the youngest of four, and although my siblings have trades, I am the first to study at university.
I am studying a bachelor’s degree in science with a double major in Anthropology and Geography, and my ambition is to obtain a Master’s in Marine Archaeology.
I applied for this amazing programme to gain experience on how other indigenous cultures utilise their native knowledge to tackle everyday challenges from the effects of colonisation.
I’m looking forward to the cultural experiences, cuisine, and excursions to nurture my capacity for understanding, empathy, inclusion and making new friends.
My discipline focuses on the study of people, and I feel this programme will allow me to expand my mind and better equip me as a global citizen.
No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa.
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Our Journey through Brazil
Our journey in Brazil has come to an end, but to reflect, here are a few things I missed in my recent blog posts. We visited the Indigenous Peoples Memorial. In this space, we were shown culture from many parts of Brazil. We visited the Socio-Environmental Institute (ISA), which is a non-profit Brazilian civil society…Continue…
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Ubatuba & Indigenous Communities
When we arrived to Ubatuba from São Paulo on our three hour bus ride, our first instinct was to go for a swim at the beach. Our Hostel was located quite close to the local beach in Ubatuba. There were two beaches nearby, a calm family-friendly beach, and a surfer’s beach with 3 meter waves;…Continue…
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We Are In Brazil !!!
When leaving the Guarulhos International Airport just out of São Paulo, I truly felt grateful for such an opportunity; A young Māori girl in a completely different indigenous country. Once we stepped foot onto indigenous whenua, I could feel the wairua of the indigenous communities now and in the past. Brazil is everything that I…Continue…