Ngā Kaikōkiri – The champions, mentors, advocates, and community leaders
From Māori climate resilience, rangatahi development, healthcare services, storytelling through a Te Ao Māori lens, business development, and much more… there is no shortage of incredible Māori rōpū across Aotearoa each making their mark on their communities.
“Ngā Kaikōkiri” - the champions, mentors, advocates and community leaders. There’s a good reason this is the name we give to the rōpū J R McKenzie Trust is so privileged to work with. It’s because they each lead and champion their own communities and goals, issues, and importantly – are mentoring the next generation of Māori leaders too.
Since Te Kāwai Toro was established we’ve had the honour of working with many incredible kaikōkiri across the country. For the past few years, we’ve run an annual hui to bring these rōpū together to share their stories with one another. As COVID disrupted those plans for 2021, we’re instead bringing a snapshot of these stories to you.
Ngā Kākano Foundation is a tangata whenua owned and operated organisation established in 1986. It provides health and social services to whānau in the Te Puke District. Ngā Kākano is co-designing a programme, Te Kōngahungahu Matahīapo, with schools, kura kaupapa, and whānau. As a Māori strengths-based intervention and education programme, it seeks to reduce the harm done to tamariki/rangatahi by exposure to alchohol and other drugs - specifically the emotional, cognitive, and functional difficulties they experience as a result of exposure. Ngā Kākano also aims to equip mokopuna, kaiako, and whānau with the tools and understanding of how to create an environment that maximises their strengths, gifts, and talents. It aims to encourage them to focus on what they can do, not what they can’t.
Hikurangi Enterprises
Hikurangi Enterprises is a social enterprise based in Ruatōria with a focus on job creation and economic development for hapū in the Waiapu catchment between Waipiro Bay and Rangitukia. Current initiatives include natural health product development, apiculture industry support, training for subsistence lifestyles, a renewable energy cooperative, medical cannabis, venture capital for local start-ups, and services to assist Māori landowners in making good decisions around land management and development opportunities.
Hikurangi Enterprises recently had a six-part series made about their incredible mahi taking cannabis and turning it into an enterprise model that supports whānau, hapū and iwi on the East Coast. You can read about the series here.
Climate Change Iwi Leaders Group
The Climate Change Iwi Leaders Group (CCILG) is focused on two key areas: 1) Urgent and immediate reduction in all greenhouse gases across all sectors, and 2) the support of iwi resilience to the increasing effects of climate change.
The CCILG was established to accelerate Māori resilience and climate change transition, with an iterative and inclusive programme of regional and national hui for Māori communities and networks. This is hoped to improve evolving risks analysis, mitigation, adaptation strategies, and provide the ability for Māori to navigate the political systems safely.
Ngā Hau e Whā Maara Kai
Ngā Hau e Whā Maara Kai is working to become a successful learning centre teaching horticulture and permaculture with a focus on emerging rangatahi leadership. The kaumātua who work at the gardens passed on their expertise to the next generation of Māori horticulturalists. NHeWMK will work closely with the Ministry of Social Development to identify rangatahi, and with the support of their whanau, they expect to have guided rangatahi in Māori culture, life, horticulture, and purpose over a three-year period.
Te Aitanga a Hauiti Centre of Excellence
Te Aitanga a Hauiti aims to promote, advance, support, develop and maintain excellence in the cultural, social, political, sporting, and academic achievement and aspirations for Te Aitanga a Hauiti whānau, marae, hapū and iwi kainga. They are a local iwi-based organisation that is passionate about the aspirations of Hauiti. Their current objective is to establish an iwi-based achievement approach to accelerating positive outcomes for rangatahi in training, education, and employment. The development of the Hauiti Wānanga is the outcome of over 20 years of strategic investment in increasing positive cultural, educational, environmental, wellness and prosperity for Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti iwi and the Uawa/Tolaga Bay community.
Māoriland Charitable Trust
Māoriland is an independent Māori led trust based in Ōtaki. Currently delivering work opportunities, leadership and skills training to more than 2,500 rangatahi Māori and their whānau per year. It does this through Te Uru Maire – the Māoriland Rangatahi Strategy alongside the highly successful annual Māoriland Film Festival.
Tū Māia
Tū Māia is a social enterprise that specialises in leadership, innovation, and venture development. Tū Māia was born out of a shared vision for daring, growing, and backing people to the next level with the aim of supporting others to step up, start up, stay up and scale up. ‘Haututū’ is the newest Tū Māia venture that highlights whānau creating new realities through enterprise.
Te Tihi o Ruahine Whānau Ora Alliance
Te Tihi is an alliance of nine iwi, hapū, and Māori organisations who work collectively to deliver whānau-centred services based on the Te Ara Whānau Ora process. Te Tihi is committed to realising the aspirations of whānau as individuals and collectively.
‘Te Mauri Moemoeā’ is a web app that looks to reinforce the power of dreaming together, achieving together, and experiencing whānau ora together.
Creating Jobs, Creating Futures is a project with a focus on enterprise development and job creation for unemployed young people, mainly Māori youth in Whanganui.
The project will educate and train rangatahi on the fundamentals of developing and owning their own business. It includes business skills, knowledge, and confidence building.
Supported by the Wairarapa Māori Women’s Welfare League, the kaupapa ‘Te Mana Whakahaere – Ko Wairarapa Tēnei’ is a Marae-based enquiry over a 12-month period. The main question that will be asked is “what is the level and quality of service delivery provided to Māori in Wairarapa DHB” as determined by Māori.
Te Kotahitanga E Mahi Kaha Trust is a solution focused organisation that supports whānau within Ngāpuhi to achieve Tino Rangatiratanga through the provision of high-quality, training, employment pathway delivery, pastoral care, enterprise development and leadership support.
The Te Kona Digital, Business and Learning Hub is a brand new way of working for Kaikohe, where businesses, students, and the community come together.
Ngāti Rangi
Te Pae Tata (digital hub) is an impressive community learning and technology hub located near Ruapehu College in a classroom block no longer required by the school and leased from the Ministry of Education. Extensive renovation and redecorating has been undertaken by Ngāti Rangi.