Groundwork: Facilitating Change

How can you make your Te Tiriti commitments stronger? 🌱 Find out in our "Toitū Te Tiriti" webinar, where we’re sharing reflections, tips, and strategies for long-term impact. Whether you’re just starting or an expert, this session has something for you. Here’s what you’ll gain: • Insights from tangata whenua and tangata tiriti • Tips to keep your Te Tiriti journey fresh and impactful • Live Q+A to answer your most pressing questions 💬 Don’t miss this opportunity to grow with us. Register now! Nga mihi Jaqui Taituha Ngawaka for hosting special guests – Kathie Irwin PhD, MNZM, MInstD (Kathie Irwin and Associates) and Jen Margaret (Groundwork: Facilitating Change). #ToitūTeTiriti #CulturalUnderstanding #Aotearoa #Allenandclarke

Te Puku Māra: Indigienous Biocultural Technology project of Te Pā o Rākaihautū is yet another local indigenous initiative to be globally recognised and celebrated. Submitted by a group of year 13 rangatahi, the kaupapa has been recently shortlisted from nearly 6000 submissions for the international Zayed Sustainability Prize. “Being a finalist is an amazing acknowledgement of the mahi our pononga, Matua Oli, Matua Bailey, Matua Keith and Matua Marsh have been doing across our expanding māra and composting operations over a number of years. It is also a huge opportunity for our Year 13 pononga to not only share what we are doing at Te Pā but also meet other students from all over the world who are also doing some amazing things.” “Te Puku Māra is a name inspired by one of our pononga and it translates closest to ‘digestive gardening’. Puku māra places soils - the stomach of Papatūānuku - at the centre of multiple kaitiaki practices. It’s a nature-based solution drawing on the wisdom of Papatūānuku and our taiao. It’s what we call "Indigenous biocultural technology," blending traditional Māori ways with how nature works to make our environment and communities healthier.” 

Our kaihautū Jen Margaret was a keynote speaker last week at the Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa (Occupational Therapy NZ) 2024 conference: Acknowledge the past, learn for the future.    Jen’s keynote address ‘Whakatinanahia Te Tiriti hei oranga mō tatou’ explored embodying Te Tiriti for wellbeing. She highlighted – alongside acknowledging the past and learning for the future – the importance of acting now by understanding the current context and it’s impacts and working in ways that promote equity and wellbeing for Māori whānau.     It was awesome to experience the openness to these messages from the kaiwhakaora ngangahau (OT) community and to hear other presenters and participants sharing their work to support the wellbeing of whānau. 

More uplifting examples of Te Tiriti relationships in local communities – mana whenua and councils working together to welcome new citizens to their rohe. First is a powerful set of interviews on Central Otago District Council’s Te Tiriti journey, and the benefits for all their community: https://lnkd.in/guiVhf6W And the second is Mayor Kirton’s recent reflections on Ruapehu district’s first citizenship ceremony: “We are immensely thankful to Ngāti Tui-o-Nuku for opening the doors of Maungārongo Marae and making this ceremony a truly unique experience.  Their manaakitanga was at the heart of the day’s success. Council hopes that this ceremony will be the first of many to be held on marae throughout the district. This event marks another important stage in our growing relationship with Ruapehu hapū and iwi.” https://lnkd.in/gjvSdqC9 

Treaty Principles Explainer – New resource    In the lead up to the introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill to parliament, it is important we continue learning and sharing trusted information about the principles and how they work.    What are the Treaty principles?  In 1840, leaders of hapū and Crown representatives signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi - it consists of a preamble and articles. The principles of the Treaty are the key ideas underpinning the treaty, they are a distillation of the full meanings and intentions of the full texts of Te Tiriti and the Treaty.    Treaty principles have not been determined in agreement with hapū; however, they have been developed by people with expertise in the wording and context of Te Tiriti, by the Courts and the Waitangi Tribunal. Since the 1980s, Parliament has also included “the principles of the Treaty” in many laws as a means of enacting its treaty obligations.    Work undertaken by the Courts, the Waitangi Tribunal and historians over the last nearly 50 years has grown the understanding of the meaning of Te Tiriti itself and of Treaty principles. The Tribunal’s most recent determination on Treaty principles made in relation to Te Raki [Northern] Māori states: “The principles must be based in the actual agreement entered into in 1840...” and therefore, if the Crown wants to clarify or redefine Treaty Principles, it must do that in agreement with hapū and iwi leaders.    To learn more about the Treaty Principles and actions you can take, visit our recent resource here:

Next week will mark the 189th anniversary of the signing He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni – A Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand, first signed by rangatira at Waitangi on 28 October 1835.    He Whakaputanga provides foundational context for current discussions about Te Tiriti and Treaty Principles – highlighted in this great kōrero with Margaret Mutu last October. 

We were inspired by this recent article by ActionStation Director, Kassie Hartendorp, reflecting on how she came to learn about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and what enacting Te Tiriti means for our shared future. “What inspired me the most about Matike Mai is that it showed how Te Tiriti gives us practical solutions for where we go next as a country. Matike Mai suggested different examples for decision making which ensure Māori get to have a say over the things that are important to them, while ensuring we can all continue to look after each other and work together. By changing our structures to better reflect Te Tiriti, we can repair past harms and move forward together on an equal footing. Some organisations and churches have already modelled relationships where decision-making is shared, so that our differences are embraced, and everyone has an equal say.”

“I have absolutely no doubt that we will realise the vision of a unified nation where we’re living harmoniously, because we’ve already shown that kāwanatanga and rangatiratanga can coexist. It will happen. It’s just a matter of time. And I’ll tell you why I’m optimistic about it. Because a) we’ve got it all written in black and white, in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. And b) we’re Kiwis. One of the great encouraging lessons of the miracle of the “Team of five million” during Covid is that we’re the only country in the world that pulled that off. That demonstrated that the homogeneity of values in this land is still significant. And New Zealanders, if nothing else, believe in what’s true, what’s just, and a fair go. That underlying goodness that’s in this land is what will see us through.” Uplifting reflections from Ngāti Toa Rangatira leader Helmut Modlik on the recently televised debate. 

Are you Pōneke based and interested in a local organising event aimed at building support for Te Tiriti action in these times?    Activating Tangata Tiriti   October 12th 9am-5pm   Two/fiftyseven Wellington    “Together, let’s create a gathering for tangata Tiriti to grow our ability to act in support of Te Tiriti and against racism. Let’s learn from each other, so we have the tools, connections, and way forward to take collective action and stand in solidarity with tangata whenua. Our gathering will use an unconference peer-driven approach.”    Sign up for the event here: 

Te Tiriti o Waitangi - what’s at stake for our tamariki and mokopuna?  Carwyn Jones and Max Harris were recently hosted by NZEI to discuss current Te Tiriti issues, the importance of Te Tiriti in education, and why taking action is critical for students and future generations.