Unstoppable: Kura Paul-Burke

Discovery

BBC

Science, Technology

4.3 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 28 April 2025

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Dr Julia Ravey and Dr Ella Hubber are both scientists, but it turns out there’s a lot they don’t know about the women that came before them. In Unstoppable, Julia and Ella tell each other the hidden, world-shaping stories of the scientists, engineers and innovators that they wish they’d known about when they were starting out in science. This week, a Māori marine scientist is combining indigenous knowledge with marine science to save the oceans that are so integral to her heritage.

Growing up in 1970s New Zealand, Kura-Paul Burke faced stigma due to her Māori roots. But, after finding herself studying marine science as an adult, Kura leaned on her heritage to take on a problem where many had already failed: restoring a lost population of precious, green-lipped mussels. Discover how Māori ancestresses, tribal elders and centuries-old knowledge inspired the ingenious methods of Aotearoa's first female Māori professor of marine science.

Presenters: Ella Hubber and Julia Ravey Guest Speaker: Dr Kura Paul-Burke Producers: Ella Hubber and Julia Ravey Assistant Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Anna Charalambou and Josie Hardy Sound Designer: Ella Roberts Production Coordinator: Ishmael Soriano Editor: Holly Squire

(Image: Dr Kura Paul-Burke. Credit: Dr Kura Paul-Burke)

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're about to listen to a BBC podcast, but this is about something else you might enjoy.
0:05.4	My name's Katie Lecky and I'm an assistant commissioner for on demand music on BBC Sounds.
0:10.7	The BBC has an incredible musical heritage and culture and as a music lover, I love being part of that.
0:17.4	With music on sounds, we offer collections and mixes for everything, from workouts to
0:22.4	helping you nod off, boogie in your kitchen, or even just a moment of calm. And they're all
0:28.1	put together by people who know their stuff. So if you want some expertly curated music in your life,
0:34.9	check out BBC Sounds. In the beginning, the Skyfather, Ranginui and the Earth mother, Papa Tuanuku, were locked in a tight embrace,
0:47.2	and their children lived in the dark space in between them. One day, their son, Tanuui Arangi, pushed his parents apart, creating the
0:58.0	separate earth and sky. But following their separation, this newly created world was dark,
1:05.4	and Taneu Iranji needed to find a source of light to illuminate it.
1:12.8	So he looked towards the sky and found the smallest, most fragile store,
1:15.9	called Hineiroamoa.
1:17.9	They came together and had a daughter,
1:19.8	the goddess of childbirth and weaving,
1:22.2	and she would inspire a method
1:23.5	to help save the oceans in the 21st century.
1:27.6	I thought of Hineate the Iweewa.
1:29.5	One of my tribes was a patriarchal tribe.
1:32.4	So it just made sense that we would look to female ancestors
1:37.1	to help guide our work.
1:39.7	I'm Julia Ravey.
1:41.1	And I'm Alahabah.
	...

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