Latest news with #NgātiKahungunu
Scoop
a day ago
- Business
- Scoop
Kahungunu Goes To The World Indigenous Peoples Week At Expo 2025, Osaka
Press Release – Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc The week-long platform will include targeted roundtable discussions, high-impact panels and a programme that will explore how Indigenous worldviews contribute to solutions for global challengesembedding culture in commerce, conservation, health, … Over the next two days, a delegation of around 80 iwi representatives from around the country and interested Kahungunu whānau members are heading over to Japan to participate in the 'World Indigenous Peoples Week' of the World Expo Osaka, 2025. Te Aratini is the name of the Aotearoa part of this kaupapa. Among the Aotearoa ambassadors will be Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated (NKII) representatives Bayden Barber (Chair), Chrissie Hape (Chief Executive), and Danielle Keil (Special Events coordinator). Te Aratini was initiated in 2021 as the first ever Festival of Indigenous and Tribal Ideas at a World Expo. It was co-hosted by the Iwi Chairs Forum and the New Zealand government at Expo 2020 Dubai. Te Aratini brings together Indigenous and Tribal peoples from around the world to share their knowledge, cultures, and experiences, with the aim of fostering new connections, partnerships, and relationships. The name 'Te Aratini' translated means 'the multitude of pathways' reflecting the idea of converging pathways and the enduring connections between Indigenous peoples. Hosted at the Australia Pavilion, the programme titled 'Respecting the Past to Design the Future' features prominent voices including Australia's first Ambassador for First Nations Peoples, Canada's High Commissioner to NewZealand, and Ngahiwi Tomoana, Aotearoa's Kaihautū of Te Aratini. 'Indigenous Trade and relationship building will be a key focus for the trip' – Says Barber, 'Of particular interest to Ngāti Kahungunu will be renewable energy, technology trends such as AI, food production and fishing. Nissui Corporation are a 50% shareholder in Sealords with Ngāti Kahungunu owning the other 50%, so we will be looking at enhancing that relationship as they have a base in Osaka'. 'Kahurangi Performing Arts will be leading the cultural performances for the Aotearoa delegation with former NKII Chair Ngahiwi Tomoana playing a key role in organising and leading the delegation so there will be a strong Kahungunu presence'. The week-long platform will include targeted roundtable discussions, high-impact panels and a programme that will explore how Indigenous worldviews contribute to solutions for global challenges—embedding culture in commerce, conservation, health, and social equity. It brings together Māori innovators, cultural leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists to engage in dialogue, trade opportunities, and forge long-term partnerships. Together, the roundtables and panels offer a compelling arc. The roundtables provide space for Indigenous leaders to shape practical strategies in finance, infrastructure, trade, and future Te Aratini leadership. At the same time, the panels elevate the broader narrative by positioning Indigenous Peoples as agents of strategic transformation. Ngahiwi Tomoana serves as the esteemed Kaihautū (leader/director) of Te Aratini and is a globally respected advocate for Māori economic development and Indigenous engagement. He previously chaired the National Iwi Chairs Forum's trade and economic development arm and held leadership of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated for 26 years.
Scoop
a day ago
- Business
- Scoop
Kahungunu Goes To The World Indigenous Peoples Week At Expo 2025, Osaka
Over the next two days, a delegation of around 80 iwi representatives from around the country and interested Kahungunu whānau members are heading over to Japan to participate in the 'World Indigenous Peoples Week' of the World Expo Osaka, 2025. Te Aratini is the name of the Aotearoa part of this kaupapa. Among the Aotearoa ambassadors will be Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated (NKII) representatives Bayden Barber (Chair), Chrissie Hape (Chief Executive), and Danielle Keil (Special Events coordinator). Te Aratini was initiated in 2021 as the first ever Festival of Indigenous and Tribal Ideas at a World Expo. It was co-hosted by the Iwi Chairs Forum and the New Zealand government at Expo 2020 Dubai. Te Aratini brings together Indigenous and Tribal peoples from around the world to share their knowledge, cultures, and experiences, with the aim of fostering new connections, partnerships, and relationships. The name "Te Aratini" translated means "the multitude of pathways" reflecting the idea of converging pathways and the enduring connections between Indigenous peoples. Hosted at the Australia Pavilion, the programme titled 'Respecting the Past to Design the Future' features prominent voices including Australia's first Ambassador for First Nations Peoples, Canada's High Commissioner to NewZealand, and Ngahiwi Tomoana, Aotearoa's Kaihautū of Te Aratini. 'Indigenous Trade and relationship building will be a key focus for the trip' – Says Barber, 'Of particular interest to Ngāti Kahungunu will be renewable energy, technology trends such as AI, food production and fishing. Nissui Corporation are a 50% shareholder in Sealords with Ngāti Kahungunu owning the other 50%, so we will be looking at enhancing that relationship as they have a base in Osaka'. 'Kahurangi Performing Arts will be leading the cultural performances for the Aotearoa delegation with former NKII Chair Ngahiwi Tomoana playing a key role in organising and leading the delegation so there will be a strong Kahungunu presence'. The week-long platform will include targeted roundtable discussions, high-impact panels and a programme that will explore how Indigenous worldviews contribute to solutions for global challenges—embedding culture in commerce, conservation, health, and social equity. It brings together Māori innovators, cultural leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists to engage in dialogue, trade opportunities, and forge long-term partnerships. Together, the roundtables and panels offer a compelling arc. The roundtables provide space for Indigenous leaders to shape practical strategies in finance, infrastructure, trade, and future Te Aratini leadership. At the same time, the panels elevate the broader narrative by positioning Indigenous Peoples as agents of strategic transformation. Ngahiwi Tomoana serves as the esteemed Kaihautū (leader/director) of Te Aratini and is a globally respected advocate for Māori economic development and Indigenous engagement. He previously chaired the National Iwi Chairs Forum's trade and economic development arm and held leadership of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated for 26 years.
Scoop
22-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Calling On Kiwis To Share Their Stories This World Drowning Prevention Day
Water Safety New Zealand and ACC are calling on New Zealanders to take part in World Drowning Prevention Day on Friday 25 July - an annual advocacy event organised by the World Health Organisation - by sharing personal stories and raising awareness about the everyday actions that can prevent drowning, prevent injury, and save lives. This year's global theme, 'Your Story Can Save A Life' encourages people across Aotearoa and around the world to speak openly about their experiences in, on, or around the water - from close calls to life-saving moments, and the lessons that shape our decisions. In sharing our stories, we learn from the experience of others. This can save lives. Some stories are well known, including that of Water Safety New Zealand's own Rob Hewitt (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Rangikoianake), an ex-navy diver with his own harrowing tale of surviving 75 hours lost at sea. Rob now dedicates much of his time advocating for water safety, with a particular focus on Māori and Pasifika communities, generously sharing his story to draw attention to the necessity of Water Safety and having an unwavering respect for the water. Interventions Lead at Water Safety New Zealand, Esther Hone (Ngāpuhi), has her own story of survival and of loss. She was drawn to a career in water safety after losing a friend when boating on a lake when she was younger. 'That experience had a dramatic impact and made me understand how quickly things can go wrong - particularly in open water environments where conditions can change so quickly.' Advertisement - scroll to continue reading In 2024, New Zealand recorded 74 drowning fatalities - the lowest annual toll since 2018 and a 14% drop from the 10-year average. While the reduction is encouraging, Water Safety New Zealand say the risks of preventable drowning remain very real. An average of 86 New Zealanders drown every year. Many fatalities involve preventable behaviour such as not wearing a lifejacket, entering the water alone, consuming alcohol or other drugs, and underestimating conditions. New Zealand drowning facts: Men continue to be overrepresented - 73% of drownings in 2024 (54 out of 74 total drownings) were male adults (aged 25 and above) 90% of craft-related drownings in 2024 were not wearing a life jacket 88% of 2024 drownings were adults Nearly 20% of drownings in 2024 were at one of NZ's highest risk drowning locations. 'We are making good progress, particularly with our tamariki, but every life lost is one too many,' says Esther. 'World Drowning Prevention Day provides an opportunity to speak up, share our stories, and help shape a culture where water safety is second nature.' ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker says World Drowning Prevention Day is an opportunity to be more mindful of the risks in and around the water. 'A drowning is a devastating event for any whānau and community, and our hearts go out to every family who has lost a loved one,' he says. 'Most of these tragic drownings are preventable if we take the time to consider the risks.' Whitaker stressed the importance of following the Five Ways to Survive – New Zealand's Water Safety Code. 'Far too many New Zealanders are drowning, and these events are preventable,' he says. 'If we take time to assess the risks and make smart choices before we jump in, we can keep on doing the things we love.' New Zealanders are invited to take part in World Drowning Prevention Day by sharing their own water safety experiences to help reinforce that the power is in prevention. How to take part: Use World Drowning Prevention Day as a reason to post your water story or safety message on social media to contribute to a culture of water safety in New Zealand. Share an experience, life lesson or thought around water safety, reminding New Zealanders that the power is in prevention Use hashtags #WorldDrowningPreventionDay, #WaterSafetyNZ, and #ShareYourStory Access free downloadable toolkits and digital assets from 'Whether it's a national story or a moment from your local beach - what you share can save lives,' says Esther. 'Let's connect, share, and work together to solve drowning in New Zealand and create a culture of water safety. The power is in prevention'. Notes: People who overestimate their ability, ignore weather forecasts, don't wear lifejackets, or think swimming skills are all they need to stay safe – are people who put their lives at risk around water. The five points of New Zealand's Water Safety Code – Five Ways to Survive were developed based on drowning and injury data, and global evidence of what works to save lives: Water Safety New Zealand also notes that the first reading of the Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill will likely take place in July. Again, another important moment - and an opportunity to both express our support for the bill and express the need for one consistent national rule around lifejacket use for all ages, particularly given the number of adult drownings where no life jacket was worn. About Water Safety New Zealand Water Safety New Zealand is the lead agent for water safety and drowning prevention in New Zealand. For more than 75 years, we've made it our mission to support people and places to be safer around water. We do this through focused data science, leadership, education, and advocacy. As a charity, we are dedicated to making New Zealand's waterways safer for everyone.
RNZ News
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
'Toitū te reo': All welcome as national Māori language festival returns
Tame Iti speaks to a packed out crowd at Toitū Te Reo 2024. Photo: Supplied / Toitū Te Reo Organisers of Aotearoa's national Māori language festival want people of all ages and ethnicities to "toitū te reo" - to uphold the language - as the kaupapa returns for its second year. Toitū Te Reo, described as a two-day "celebration, inspiration, education, and activation of the language and culture", will take place in Heretaunga Hastings on November 13-14. Festival founder and director Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod (Ngāti Kahungunu) said the kaupapa, born out of a desire to uplift te mana o te reo Māori. was shaped by growing pressure on the language in recent years. "It was morphed into a festival during the time where the language was under attack from left, right and centre," he told RNZ. "And it was a response to that, but it was a positive response. It was, how we can unite the country and bring people together, but also bring ourselves together as Māori." Toitū Te Reo is the evolution of Te Reo ki Tua, a revitalisation symposium hosted in the heart of Ngāti Kahungunu. "It's a street festival. It's unapologetically Māori, yet incredibly accessible to non-speakers," MacLeod said. "We want young, old, locals, visitors, and those from every ethnicity to come along and have a go at te reo Māori." Toitū Te Reo - Aotearoa's national Māori language festival- director and founder Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod says the kaupapa is a "transformative bicultural opportunity for everyone." Photo: Supplied / Toitū Te Reo Organisers said the festival welcomed about 10,000 people last year , from reo champions to absolute beginners. Despite receiving funding in 2024 from the previous government, this year's kaupapa will go on without it. "It's a different climate," MacLeod said. "We were lucky last year with some residual funding from the former government, but that funding is not available under the current government. "So it means we've had to work extra hard to find people to support what I still believe is a transformative, groundbreaking initiative." He said the shift has only deepened the resolve of the organising team, but it raised questions about who was responsible for backing the language. "My challenge to us as Māori, with regards to mana motuhake - if we really believe in our language and we want to invest in a national forum that uplifts but also inspires a lot of language activists across the country - then support it. Instead of us being booted like a political football between central government back to iwi and vice versa." "If we keep harping on about how important the language is, then we need to commit to it and show some leadership… Stop talking about the language and commit to uplifting it." Photo: Supplied / Toitū Te Reo Toitū Te Reo will be host to a variety of kaupapa, including kapa haka performances, wānanga, symposiums, kai, toi Māori, and live podcast recordings, all designed to meet people wherever they are on their reo journey. "There's no other forum in the country that brings this many people together purely for the language revitalisation plight," MacLeod told RNZ. "It brings together some of the country's most recognised exponents, but also grassroots language champions, not necessarily people who sit in academic institutions… It brings together a fantastic mix, as well as non-Māori who have committed their lives to the re-emphasis of the language." MacLeod said regardless of where you sit on the language proficiency spectrum, "everyone requires a bit of inspiration". "We require a bit of activation. We require a little bit more education and an opportunity to celebrate and connect." MacLeod speaks from personal experience. He grew up in Brisbane with parents who were part of the generations who lost their language. "I remember very well how hard it is to acquire te reo Māori," he said. "And I still have vivid memories of what that was like. It's not easy." That's part of why accessibility is a core focus of Toitū Te Reo, he said. "We've tried to make it as welcoming as possible," "Even if you're fluent or if you're in the middle, there's dedicated symposium areas and lots of different presenters, panels to cater for everyone. But even the most fluent need to do some work to maintain their reo." Photo: Supplied / Toitū Te Reo While the scale of the festival will be slightly smaller this year, MacLeod said Toitū Te Reo is about national reach, but from a provincial base. "National kaupapa don't just belong in Wellington and Auckland. They can be hosted in provinces too. "When Ngāti Kahungunu established the National Māori Language Revitalisation Symposium, it had a domino effect, several tribes went on to establish their own. And I feel that'll be the case with Toitū Te Reo in time. Why can't we have several celebrations of the language and culture around the country?" With the kaupapa taking place in four months time, MacLeod is hoping for an even bigger turnout than last year. "Toitū Te Reo will inspire you. It will educate you. It will entertain you. It will activate you. It will strengthen you," he said. "And it will provide a platform for thousands to come together and celebrate the language that is quite often attacked from all quarters of this country." Toitū Te Reo 2025 will take place in Heretaunga Hastings CBD on 13-14 November. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Spinoff
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
‘Immersed in stacks of picture books': Isobel Joy Te Aho-White's reading life
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu), illustrator of three books up for awards at the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. The book I wish I'd written and illustrated Good Faeries, Bad Faeries by Brian Froud. I love his method of putting pen to paper and letting his intuition take over, with no expectation as to what comes out, and then, in the case of Good Faeries, Bad Faeries, giving personalities and backstories to the characters after they've been drawn. I think that approach has helped me when I feel like I have creative block. Just scribble, zone out, and think about it later. Everyone should read Watership Down by Richard Adams – it's a reimagining of Homer and Virgil's Odyssey and Aeneid, but with bunnies, which makes it better. It also brings in other themes such as humanity's propensity for mindless destruction and domination over the animal kingdom. The book I want to be buried with Tough question, because it can change on any given day. So, let's just say a sketchbook for jotting down ideas and observations. The first book I remember reading by myself I remember being immersed in stacks of picture books as a kid (nothing's changed, really), and I'd cycle through them. Some early impressions were Funnybones by Janet and Allen Ahlberg, Animalia by Graeme Base, and The Nicklenackle Tree by Lynley Dodd. I also had the classics: Madeline, Asterix, Tintin, Babar, the books of Richard Scarry, Dr Seuss, The Berenstains. The pictures drew me in – the more detail, the better. If we're talking chapter books, some early ones I enjoyed were The Hobbit, The Song of Pentecost, The Cooper Kids, Anne of Green Gables, The Babysitter's Club and the Famous Five. The book I pretend I've read I have pretended to read Das Kapital by Karl Marx and A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, but to be honest, I found them too dense and only skimmed them. Maybe I need illustrated versions. Dystopia or utopia The stuff I make is usually utopian, but the stuff I enjoy is usually dystopian, crime or horror adjacent. How does that work? Maybe I need something to bounce off. Some faves that come to mind are Animal Farm by George Orwell, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, The Long Walk by Stephen King, and Uzumki by Junji Ito. Fiction or nonfiction I appreciate both and read them in completely different ways. Most of my bookcase is filled with nonfiction reference books that I pick up and skim through if I need some information on a subject – mostly books about pūrākau Māori, history, art/design and native plants. But when it comes to novels, it's audiobooks all the way. I listen to them while I'm working. It's a crime against language to This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think books that jump around the timeline without telling you that they're doing it can be really grating. Similarly, I'm not usually interested in reading a prequel to a series that takes place before the series that I just read, because I know what's going to happen, and I've moved on. The book character I identify with most I've always felt an affinity for Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. She gets stuck in a situation that is completely baffling to her, where everyone seems to be marching to the beat of a different drum, and she's rarely given adequate context for anything. To me, that's what it's like being on the autism spectrum and trying to follow social cues. The book I wish would be adapted for film or TV Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders should be adapted for film. I think it would be visually stunning. The serpent sequences could be animated and psychedelic, while the main story could be live action. The character of The Fool/Amber/Lord Golden is probably one of my favourites of all time – I think Hunter Schafer would ace that role. Most underrated book I don't think Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake gets enough love among the fantasy classics. Or maybe it gets the right amount, but Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter series are comparatively overrated. In any case, it's got a crumbling gothic castle, a catastrophic flood, parkour, cloaks, daggers, and a room full of cats, which in my mind makes it one of the greats. Greatest New Zealand book Wāhine Toa by Patricia Grace and Robyn Kahukiwa had a big impact on me, because it's empowering, grounding and explicit in its Māori feminism. It examines eight archetypes from pūrākau Māori, using bold art and gentle prose that together create a layered and comprehensive study. It's the first book about female divinity that I picked up, looked at the land I know, the women that raised me, and go 'yeah, that makes total sense'. What I'm reading right now On Audible I've got all the JP Pomare books lined up, because I like to binge crime and suspense. On Apple books I've got Performance by my e hoa David Coventry, which is about his experience of living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). On my desk is Treasures of Tāne: Plants of Ngāi Tahu by Rob Tipa, which I'm currently opening at random. And I've just ordered a fresh new copy of Māori Rafter & Tāniko Designs by WJ Philips from Oratia, which I'm looking forward to. Ngā Kupenga a Nanny Rina by Qiane Mataa-Sipu illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White ($21, Penguin); A Ariā me te Atua o te Kūmara by Witi Ihimaera and illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White and translated by Hēni Jacob ($25, Penguin); and Ten Nosey Weka by Kate Preece, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White ($22, Bateman Books) are all available to purchase through Unity Books.
