Feature stories, media statements, speeches and more.
Rua Kēnana: Monumental occasion for Tūhoe descendants
Hundreds of Tūhoe descendants gathered at Parliament this week to witness the passing of a bill that pardoned their tupuna, Tūhoe prophet Rua Kēnana who was wrongfully arrested and convicted over a century ago following a police raid at Maungapōhatu in Te Urewera.
Papakāinga development: Reconnecting with whānau and whenua
Building a papakāinga on their ancestral whenua, overlooking Tauranga Moana, has been a dream 30 years in the making for the Reweti Te Pere whānau. Our Māori Housing Network has been working alongside the whānau to help make this aspiration a reality.
Housing repairs: From fizzing electrical sockets to a bright and healthy future
Our Māori Housing Network has supported Te Arawa Whānau Ora Collective to complete 30 critical home repairs for whānau in the wider Rotorua, Tūrangi and Taupō region.
Housing repairs reignites community spirit within Ngāti Parewahawaha
Nestled around Parewahawaha Marae in Bulls is a community living in safe, warm and dry homes that were dreamed of 50 years ago when the marae was opened.
The whare include papakāinga that nurture the leaders of tomorrow and kaumātua flats that protect the treasures of today.
Keeping it cool under pressure
Often a calm reassuring word from a respected person is all it takes to diffuse a situation that has the potential to get out of hand says one of the training stalwarts of the Tāmaki ki te Tonga Māori Wardens – she knows she’s been doing this for over 40 years.
Warden stalwart still on duty
She’s proudly worn the Māori Warden uniform for over 40 years, clocked up thousands of hours of community service and driven three of her own cars into the ground: Peggy Hughes, Waikato has seen it all. Even catching up with her for an interview wasn’t easy because she’s still putting in more hours than most fulltime, paid workers and she’s not easing up. Not yet anyway.
O Te Motu security training programme launches
A popular new Whanganui-based security training programme has opened attracting students from across the motu.
Turehou Māori Wardens help whānau in need
Local Tāmaki Māori Wardens recently came to the rescue for a young south Auckland whānau in need.
Whanganui Wardens prepare for New Year event
Pena Hikuwai, chair of local Māori Wardens, says she's pretty sure the Māori Wardens have been involved with Caboodle from the start.
Meet one of the youngest Māori Wardens around
He’s become a familiar face to many at Ihumātao and although he’s only eight, Korus Tawha is passionate about his work as a Māori warden.
Third Māori Modernisation Hui
The modernisation of the Māori Wardens was the focus of the third hui held in Wellington last week.
Māori pop-up shop highlights in central Kirikiriroa
New and contemporary Māori goods and fashion pop-up store Ono has found a home in the multi-cultural Casabella Lane in Hamilton giving retailers additional options to choose from this year.
Tu Kaha secures Stevens Adams as brand partner
The Tu Kaha Foundation delivers a two day values programme to 3,000 rangatahi in 20-30 low decile schools.
Two Māori entities take out Biosecurity Awards
Two Māori entities were recognised for their outstanding work and contribution to protecting our oceans, waterways and backyards at the third New Zealand Biosecurity Awards held in Auckland this month.
Taranaki maara kai nourishing body, mind and soul
It’s not unusual for a garden to grow kai. But what about maara that also grow language and communities? That is exactly what is blooming under the watchful gaze of maunga Taranaki in Te Taihauāuru.
Growing confident, connected young leaders
Since completing a Māori leadership programme, a remarkable group of rangatahi have become community volunteers, part time employees and university enrolled students. What inspired this standard of result? Whakapapa, whenua and community.
Building governance know-how in Māori communities
Today, big decisions in Te Ao Māori are made as much in boardrooms as they are on marae. Te Puni Kōkiri is getting behind the people who are making those decisions, by making sure they have quality governance training and development so they can plan for the years and generations to come.
Horouta Waka - ki te hoe!
The 100-plus strong group of high-performing waka paddlers had signed up for a wellbeing programme that refined not only their athletic skills and disciplines of waka ama, but also examined healthy lifestyles, eco-living and cultural connectedness.
Housing: Finding the strength to ask for help in Takou Bay
“I was depressed until all this started. I’m everything now. The smiles are there. My babies, my mokos. I’m happy as can be. It’s a home now. What more could I ask for?" Georgina Taiapo says of her new lease on life following critical repairs to her whare in Te Tai Tokerau.
Housing provides new beginning for Waitara kaumātua
Makere and Doug Pike are among five kaumatua who have just moved into the new kaumatua flats, opened by Te Atiawa Kaumātua Housing Trust with support from our Māori Housing Network.
Rehua Marae: Leading light during Christchurch earthquakes
Rehua Marae opened its doors to the Ōtautahi community following the devastating 2011 earthquakes.
The Safer Credit and Financial Inclusion Strategy launched to address problem debt
Whānau on low-incomes often have no choice but to take out high-interest loans that are unaffordable and unsustainable, just to meet their everyday needs – which often creates debt and hardship.
Pae Aronui graduate excited for future
Ko Hikurangi te maunga, ko Waiapu te awa, ko Horouta te waka, ko Mangahanea te marae, ko Ngāti Porou to iwi, ko Walter Taingahue ahau.
Skills learned from Pae Aronui course saves participants' nana
Two rangatahi are extremely grateful to the tutors at Vertical Horizonz for the first aid and CPR skills that aided them to save their Nana’s life during a heart attack.
Investing in our future business leaders and entrepreneurs
Supported by Te Puni Kōkiri and run by Young Enterprise Trust, the Rangatahi Business Challenge is a fun and interactive 3-day introduction to business and enterprise for year 9-11 tauira.
Youth leadership highlights first parade held in Kirikiriroa
Close to 900 people attended the inaugural Te Reo Māori parade held in Kirikiriroa this year to mark Māori Language week. Two of the youngest members of the cross-organisational group responsible for the logistics and hosting this regional event were also charged with leading the group too.
From homelessness to hope
From people living rough on the streets, to people who walk our corridors of power – on a bright winter’s day in Ōtautahi, they came together to listen, learn and take action against homelessness.
Making mātauranga accessible to all
Sharing the mātauranga of the New Zealand wars and conflicts in the nineteenth century is the aim of a new project with Bridget Williams Books, funded as part of the Te Pūtake o te Riri programme.
Kaingaroa Housing Community Development: whānau inspired for bright future
The small, isolated settlement of Kaingaroa sits on the volcanic plateau of the central North Island. It is surrounded by one of the largest planted forests in the Southern Hemisphere and is home to about 435 people.
Inaugural Māori Wardens Modernisation Working Group hui
Following on from the National Māori Wardens Conference in July, where a landmark vote took place to move towards increased autonomy, the inaugural Māori Wardens Modernisation Working Group held their first hui on Thursday 5 September in Wellington.
National Māori Wardens Conference a huge success
From Wallace Haumaha singing a rendition of ‘Te Rina’ to a surprise budget announcement and a landmark vote, there was something for everyone at this year’s successful national conference held at Tūrangawaewae Marae.
Award winning Māori leadership programme recognised through cadetships
Downer has been helping shape the landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand for over a century, building key infrastructure including roads, telecommunications, water, power and gas networks.
Learning on the job is the trick
The biggest Tūhoe civil contractor is helping his people to be the technician, to be the electrician, to be the engineer. Pera Te Amo (Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) has only just come on board the Cadetship programme but we catch up to discuss the work that is bringing pride to him and his whānau.
Strong partnership grows Māori leaders
“The best outcomes, and the ones we’re most passionate about, are around whānau and community,” says Debbie Kirby, GM HR, Transport Services, Downer NZ.
Māori leadership programme proving to be more than successful
Fletcher Building is a global business made up of over 20,000 employees across 34 businesses and hundreds of brands operating in 40 countries, covering construction, manufacturing, and distribution industries. Introducing their successful pilot Māori leadership programme in 2015 has been key to the success of engaging and preparing their Māori workers to enter leadership roles.
Developing Māori leaders in an emerging market on their own whenua
New Zealand Manuka Group is a medium-sized Whakatāne-based primary industry business operating in partnership with Māori landowners in the Bay of Plenty to produce manuka oil straight from manuka trees being grown on Māori owned land.
Empowering others through mana and respect
Jonno Webster (Ngāpuhi) is an Assistant Contract Manager for Downer at their Taranaki hub. He received an invitation to participate in Te Ara Whanake, the Downer Māori Leadership Programme through one of his colleagues.
Setting standards for herself and others around her
Ongelle Fincham (Ngāti Kahungunu) is a Programmer for Downer based in Wellington. Ever since she saw the company’s promotional video about Te Ara Whanake, the Māori leadership programme, she was keen to go on it. When she was asked to attend, her only answer was “Yes!”
Learning more about yourself to help others
Driver/operator Darryl Takerei (Ngāti Raukawa) works for Downer in the Taranaki region. In 2015 he completed the Downer Māori leadership programme, Te Ara Whanake, and found that he learned more about himself than he expected.
Stitching whakapapa together through quilt-making in Otautahi
Whakapapa and quilt making is being combined to help transform and heal whānau.
Recently Te Puni Kōkiri supported Ngāti Porou artist Ron Te Kawa to run a whakapapa quilt workshop in Ōtautahi over two long and and very creative weekends at the Stitch-o-Mat Centre in New Brighton.
Art and sisterhood bring Soul Sistas together for Matariki celebrations
Sisters both in spirit and by birth have joined together to celebrate Matariki in the Soul Sistas exhibition at the Arts in Oxford Gallery , North Canterbury.
Of the nine wāhine Māori artists there are three pairs of sisters, however there is an undeniable bond of sisterhood which unites them all.
Matariki celebrated by Ōtautahi community at Rehua Marae
Whānau and community joined together recently to enjoy a week-long celebration of Matariki at Rehua Marae in Ōtautahi.
The focus of the celebrations was a Whānau Day attended by more than 600 whānau and members of the community which got underway with a whakatau and karakia.
Housing improvements keep whānau warm and provide independence in Invercargill
Myra Clarke is warm, dry and safe living in her small two bedroom Invercargill home thanks to improvements from the Te Puni Kōkiri Māori Housing Network and local provider, Awarua Synergy.
Murihiku Kohanga and Kura celebrate Matariki
Matariki has brought the kohanga reo of Murihiku, Gore and Mataura together with the region’s only kura kaupapa for the first time.
Growing Māori wahine leaders
I was part way through my diploma studying civil engineering and I felt I needed practical experience.
Te Ara Whanake programme changed me
I want others to be inspired by my journey, to go for it, and not be hesitant or let fear get in their way.
Resilience and sacrifice behind papakāinga build in Taupiri
“Punakai had to sell his Harley and we had to move in with my parents. Building has been such a long, drawn out process, and we’ve had heaps of setbacks. But finally, after two years, we are in our own whare, on the whānau block behind the marae, ready to start our new life with our babies.”
- Sally Waikai, Homeowner
Bends of the awa bring regional manager Nancy Tuaine home
E rere kau ana ngā tikanga o ōku tipuna i rō i ngā riporipo, i ngā ngaru o te awa o Whanganui.
Nancy Tuaine has been warmly welcomed home by iwi and hapū as she assumes her role as Te Puni Kōkiri Regional Manager for Te Tai Hauāuru.
Waikato whānau living their best life
Warmer, dryer, more efficient homes enable better life outcomes for ten whānau across the Waikato. We feature two of the whānau here.
Māori Wardens supporting rangatahi to access higher education
Nearly a third of youth aged 15-24 not in education, employment or training are Māori. That includes 7,400 rangatahi Māori in the Waikato-Waiariki region. Katikati Māori Wardens are supporting local rangatahi on their learning pathway.
Boost for marae at the centre of communities
Marae around the country will benefit from boosted initiatives to upgrade their buildings, bolster their emergency kits and expand their work to preserve Māori culture, Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta said.
The whisper of hope: repairing whare, restoring hauora
Warmer, drier homes enable better health outcomes for whānau in Te Tai Tokerau. We feature one of the whānau and the Ngātiwai community service provider.
Ngāti Rangatahi Whanaunga Association - Draft Mandate Strategy
The Office for Māori Crown Relations – Te Arawhiti invites submissions on the Ngāti Rangatahi Whanaunga Association’s (the Association) draft mandate strategy.
Te Taitimu Trust BIG CAMP 2019
Sixty rangatahi from around the Hawke's Bay took part in a 5-day journey which included rowing 400kms down the Whanganui river being guided by Whanganui whanau and staying on their ancestral lands.
Māori Housing in the spotlight at housing awards
The Te Puni Kōkiri Māori Housing Network was acknowledged at the recent Australasian Housing Institute Professional Excellence in Housing Awards where two Te Puni Kōkiri led initiatives won top awards.
Whānau housing repairs lead to intergenerational wellbeing
Four generations of the same whānau live in Karen and Moke’s two-bedroom whare.
Breathing new life into old whānau homes in South Auckland
Lifting living standards for whānau sets a platform for better intergenerational wellbeing. We feature two whānau in South Auckland.
$80 million to expand the Whānau Ora approach
This initiative aims to increase support for whānau to achieve their aspirations and lift overall wellbeing. This will be done through funding the expansion of the Whānau Ora commissioning for outcomes approach to reach more whānau. It will include an increase in the navigator workforce, targeted tamariki support, and support to build financial capability.
Exploring how a whānau-centred approach can improve Māori and Pasifika wellbeing
This initiative will enable exploration into how a whānau-centred approach can be used to raise health and wellbeing outcomes for Māori and Pasifika, including how to reduce avoidable hospitalisation rates, and to develop an investment proposal to test such an approach.
Growing Māori leaders in the ICT sector
ICT is integrated in all sectors and rapidly advancing. Statistics show that Māori fall behind other New Zealanders when it comes to access, usage, employment and education in the ICT sector. With Māori making up less than six percent of those working in the sector, ICT still remains an unopened door of opportunities for Māori.
$12 million over four years for whānau- led development of marae
As part of the Government’s approach to whānau-led development of marae, $12 million over four years has been set aside in Budget 19. This funding will expand the existing Oranga Marae programme for marae development planning and implementation. There will also be additional support for individual marae to be prepared for disaster and other emergency responses.
Cadets champion hāngi as New Zealand’s national food
Four Māori cadets have been given the wero (challenge) to prove authentic Māori hāngi as New Zealand’s national food.
Sorted Kāinga Ora: Empowering whānau to realise their housing aspirations
Laurae Blake and her whānau have changed the way they think about money since completing the Sorted Kāinga Ora programme. The solo mother of two daughters, aged seven and 13, has spent eight weeks gaining tools to help realise her housing aspirations.
To view the video on Sorted Kāinga Ora click here.
Māori housing to receive $40 million more
Māori housing will receive a further $40 million over four years from Budget 2019 to allow more whānau access to healthy, affordable, secure homes. Whānau wellbeing is at the heart of this year’s Budget announcements for Māori.
Te Piringa Papakāinga the journey home
A beautiful new Papakāinga in the rural Māori community of Waiohiki, located 10km south of Napier is an excellent example of whānau wellbeing.
Te Puni Kōkiri supported a whānau-centred approach by recognising the needs, strengths and diverse aspirations of this whānau to be self-determining in their desire to live in a healthy home, develop their whenua and live as a community according to kaupapa Māori.
Investing in the continued revitalisation of te reo Māori
$33.84 million over four years has been secured in Budget 2019 for the continued revitalisation of te reo Māori.
This funding will support the aspirations of Te Whare o Te Reo Mauriora, a partnership model developed as part of Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016. This whare acknowledges that both Crown and Māori have a part to play in revitalising te reo Māori - sustainable change can only be achieved in partnership with iwi and communities.
Mōkai Pātea Waitangi Claims Trust Mandate Vote
The Mōkai Pātea Waitangi Claims Trust is seeking a mandate to represent Mōkai Pātea in Treaty settlement negotiations with the Crown and invites the Mōkai Pātea claimant community to attend mandate voting hui throughout the country.
Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Ratification Of Post-Settlement Governance Entity
Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust seeks the agreement of its members to accept the proposed Post-Settlement Governance Entity (PSGE) to receive the Ngāti Rangitihi Settlement Redress once the Settlement is enacted.
Helping to build a brighter future
Kat grew up in Auckland living the life portrayed in the movie Once Were Warriors. She experienced things children shouldn’t and these experiences have left a dark mark. She has seven children from two relationships but only two live with her. She is working with agencies including Tāmaki ki Te Tonga District Māori Wardens to build a brighter future.
Induction of New Māori Wardens for Te Aroha
A group of locals willing to support this vision met at the Te Aroha RSA to start the process of being inducted as Māori Wardens.
Rangatahi reo initiatives announced today
Te Puni Kōkiri, Te Māngai Pāho and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to launch a series of rangatahi-focused reo initiatives.
Nancy Tuaine appointed Te Puni Kōkiri Regional Manager for Te Tai Hauāuru
Iwi from Te Tai Hauāuru welcomed Nancy Tuaine as the new Te Puni Kōkiri Regional Manager for Te Puni Kōkiri at Whangaehu Marae, near Whanganui today.
Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki
A cheaper power bill and a sweet-smelling bathroom were the immediate positive impacts for the Goldsmith whānau after completing their housing repairs.
Māori Wardens are here to help our people on the right path to a better life
Joining the Māori Wardens in 1984 was a key step towards Haki becoming the kind of leader he thought his people needed.
Successful visit to Chile concludes
This was the Minister’s first official mission to Chile following an invitation to be the keynote speaker at an indigenous women’s workshop in Santiago, where she spoke about Māori economic and social development and the leadership role that wahine Māori have played in addressing indigenous rights and interests in Aotearoa.
Whānau Development Summit 2019
Te Puni Kōkiri will be hosting the Whānau Development Summit at Te Papa in Wellington on the 25th of March 2019.
The Whānau Development Summit is a forum that Te Puni Kōkiri has created to promote whānau development investment and whānau centred policy across the public and philanthropic sectors. In this respect it is sponsored jointly by the Minister of Māori Development and the Minister of Whānau Ora.
Virtual reality game developed to activate te reo Māori in sports
Puni Reo Pāhekoheko is a Māori language virtual reality game aimed at encouraging the use of te reo Māori in sports.
Tikanga Māori at the heart of Te Tau Ihu fires response
Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta travelled to Nelson last Tuesday to meet with Te Tau Ihu iwi leaders, first responders, local council representatives and whānau involved in the Nelson/Tasman Fires.
“I’m blessed that the team in Te Puni Kōkiri and the regional footprint have deep relationships into our communities and it has long been a ministry that has moved to the aspirations of the people and we want more of that to happen," Minister Mahuta said.
Crown launches commitment to te reo Māori
Minister Mahuta attended Te Matatini with the Prime Minister today to launch the finalised Maihi Karauna strategy. This strategy is the Crown's commitment to revitalising te reo Māori. It will work with the Maihi Māori to help make te reo Māori accessible everywhere, every way, for everyone, everyday.
Waikato-Tainui remaining claims
The Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Negotiator released a draft mandate strategy on 1 February 2019.
Investment to deliver better connected marae and communities in the regions
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today that the Government will invest $21 million to ensure even more New Zealanders in the regions can access modern and reliable digital services in their community.
Waka ama programme promoting wellbeing for Tairāwhiti rangatahi and whānau
The six-week wellbeing programme provided 18 waka ama teams and their supporting whānau with nutrition, training, and wānanga activities that promoted healthy living, eco-living and cultural connectedness.