Hui Kaikōkiri 2024 – Reflections
A highlight of the Te Kāwai Toro calendar is the Hui Kaikōkiri. This year it took place on March 6th-7th in Wellington. With 57 attendees, this was the biggest group we’ve had to date, and is an incredibly encouraging presence of Māori, kaupapa-led initiatives in Aotearoa.
Hui Attendees
This 24-hour hui is an opportunity to bring together inspiring rōpū (groups) from across the country, to be under one roof together, learn from one another, share journeys, and foster connections.
Whakawhanaungatanga (establishing relationships), kōrerorero (discussions) and waiata (songs), were facilitated by Kate Cherrington and Bentham Ōhia. This set the day up as a time for discussion, collaboration, and celebration. For many, this hui was a chance to not only congregate and honour one another, but also to take a break from day-to-day life and reflect on the past year.
*Ngā Kaikōkiri in attendance included: Te Waka Parepareā, Hikurangi Enterprises, Tangata Marae, Ngāti Rangatahi Whanaunga, Papatūānuku Marae, Te Kawa o Rongo, Hāpai Tūhono, Ngātiwai ki Whangaruru, Te Waka Kai Ora, Te Aroha Karanahi Trust, Āteanui, Tamaūpoko Community Led Development, Bishops Community Development Trust.
Each group took the floor to share their incredible mahi (work), covering the progress, highlights and achievements over the past year. It was heartening to hear about the overwhelming positive impact that each rōpū were making in their hapori (community), and realise the extraordinary kaupapa around Aotearoa. Strategic relationships were developed between ngā kaikōkiri, leading to meetings and discussions between rōpū to learn and benefit from one another in their future ventures.
Similarities across each rōpū quickly arose, with a strong theme being the intention to reclaim and revitalise traditional Māori knowledge and customs. The effects of colonisation are still strongly felt for many, so it was moving to see the ways that ngā kaikōkiri were taking action to bring whānau back to their marae, partake in indigenous gardening and kai (food) production, and teach rangatahi more about their whakapapa (genealogy), tikanga and te reo.
Paving the way to successful futures for the iwi taketake o Aotearoa (indigenous peoples of New Zealand) was also a key theme. Many of ngā kaikōkiri are taking action to ensure whānau (family) are healthy, safe and thriving – by building safe places for people to live or congregate, providing kai, mentoring future leaders, supporting Māori businesses, and finding career paths that Māori are passionate about and can flourish in.
Fay Fuller Foundation and Spinifex
Ngā Kaikōkiri take part in discussions with Fay Fuller Foundation and Spinifex
We were honoured to have the Fay Fuller Foundation and Spinifex as our guests to join the Hui Kaikōkiri. Fay Fuller Foundation aim to drive change around impactful, purposeful, and people-centred philanthropic funding. They aim to provide wealth and power to a group of indigenous communities, and enable them to make their own changes – rather than external parties attempting to make change in areas they don’t have knowledge of. We were in awe of the generosity of Fay Fuller Foundation, for also supporting Spinifex to establish their own trust and support indigenous communities in achieving their aspirations.
The wairua that this event holds is truly magical, and provides a great sense of hope for the future of Aotearoa and our people. He tino pai tō mahi!