皇家华人

M膩ori Hononga

M膩ori Partnership

He waka eke noa

A canoe which includes us all

We鈥檙e on a journey to better support M膩ori researchers, entrepreneurs and investors 鈥 starting by changing ourselves.
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He waka eke noa

A canoe which includes us all

We鈥檙e on a journey to better support M膩ori researchers, entrepreneurs and investors 鈥 starting by changing ourselves.

Information for M膩ori researchers, entrepreneurs, students & leaders

T膿n膩 koutou e ng膩 kairangahau, e ng膩 rakahinonga, e ng膩 膩konga, koutou e ng膩 manukura.

We know M膩ori approaches to research, investment and business relationships may be different to tauiwi ones. At 皇家华人, we鈥檙e committed to working with M膩ori to develop positive relationships and find better ways of working as genuine Te Tiriti o Waitangi partners.

Protecting M膩ori intellectual property

We recognise m膩tauranga M膩ori and t膩onga including art, te reo and native flora and fauna. That鈥檚 why we鈥檝e developed a M膩ori intellectual property policy to protect Indigenous knowledge, traditions and data from accidental or deliberate misappropriation. Major principles of the policy include consultation, partnership, sharing, and free, prior and informed consent.

The policy is a beginning 鈥 it鈥檚 intended to evolve as experience and understanding deepen at 皇家华人 and around the world. For example, there is growing awareness within international legal frameworks that Indigenous understandings of ownership and property are more about responsibility and kaitiakitanga than Western understandings are.

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Tikanga-based investment

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We鈥檙e aware non-M膩ori investment models based simply on a financial bottom line may not align with te ao M膩ori. 皇家华人 is working with M膩ori to develop ways of doing business that consider social, cultural and environmental impacts as well as economic ones.

For example, in setting up a University spin-out in partnership with an East Coast iwi, we co-created an investment strategy where an overarching, locally controlled not-for-profit trust would secure access to the whenua, have kaitiakitanga and rangatiratanga over the brand story and would license the brand to an operational company. The trust, the academics who founded the company and 皇家华人 each have an equity stake in the operational company.

Future companies and investments might use different solutions but we are open to being flexible and creative so we can partner in tikanga-based processes for the benefit of all.

Building our own capability

皇家华人 is working to build our capacity to engage with M膩ori. Part of this involves bringing on more M膩ori staff. We have a 碍补颈腻谤补丑颈, a Manutaki Whanaketanga Umanga M膩ori | M膩ori Business Development Director, a Poutaki Hononga | Investment Development Lead and a Kait膩tari Tauhokohoko | Investment Analyst overseeing the wider M膩ori strategy for 皇家华人. This team is working on building relationships with iwi and hap奴 as well as with M膩ori businesses, organisations, researchers and other manukura to bring us closer to m膩tauranga M膩ori and the M膩ori economy.

We have also increased our M膩ori staff in other roles across our business. This includes appointing Poutaki M膩tauranga M膩ori and other leading roles in our services and projects to ensure we鈥檙e meeting M膩ori needs in areas such as supporting the education and mental health workforce. We鈥檙e committed to recruiting more M膩ori staff and to developing kaimahi through activities such as professional development w膩nanga and regular meetings of a M膩ori hoamahi group.

We鈥檙e also bringing our non-M膩ori staff on a journey to being more cuturally competent to ensure a more Indigenised process on all fronts. This has included opportunities to take part in cultural competency workshops, take te reo M膩ori classes, access a wide range of resources and participate in special events such as noho marae to build knowledge and understanding of te ao M膩ori.

On a deeper level, we鈥檙e examining our structures and the research and investment ecosystem with the ultimate aim of making more space for M膩ori research, innovation and business to thrive. This is an ongoing journey but one we鈥檙e committed to as Te Tiriti partners. For example, we recently doubled the size of the University of Auckland Inventors鈥 Fund to $40 million, in part to commit more resources to M膩ori innovation and enterprise.

Information for non-M膩ori researchers and entrepreneurs

Are you a Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland researcher working in an area that impacts M膩ori, whenua M膩ori (M膩ori land), m膩tauranga M膩ori (M膩ori knowledge including science, engineering, cultural practices and worldview), or other t膩onga (treasures including arts, language, native plants and animals)? Do you need to consider these factors in a research or funding  proposal? Want to partner with M膩ori in research or investment? We鈥檙e here to help or at least point you in the right direction.

From learning about your obligations to signing contracts, we work with researchers and other University departments in areas such as:

  • Offering workshops on topics such as understanding Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Vision M膩tauranga, Wai 262 and their relevance to research
  • Assessing proposals and intellectual property for relevance/obligations to M膩ori
  • Helping develop and advance research proposals that meet funding bodies鈥 guidelines
  • Helping negotiate agreements that meet the needs of M膩ori and non-M膩ori partners
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Information for investors

皇家华人 often co-invests with others. We may not necessarily be the biggest investor but we have deep networks and access to expertise. In general, we work to bridge the gap between the academic and business worlds. When it comes to co-investing in M膩ori businesses or businesses run in partnership with M膩ori, we have the resources and expertise to act as a bridge between te ao M膩ori (the M膩ori world) and the business world.

We live our values in all our investment decisions, but it鈥檚 particularly important when partnering with M膩ori to consider environmental, social, cultural and financial bottom lines, the essential building blocks of an economy of mana. Relationships and mutual understanding are important, so we take the time to have the k艒rero (conversations) necessary to build those. This way of working may be a bit different but engaging with the M膩ori economy has tremendous potential for both economic and societal impact. Come engage with us in a tikanga-led investment journey.

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M膩ori Partnership Contacts

Tui Kaumoana

碍补颈腻谤补丑颈

More about Tui

Tui (Ng膩ti Maniapoto, Waikato) has been with 皇家华人 since 2020 and leads M膩ori kaupapa across the organisation. She is t奴turu Waikato and has been a director and operations manager. Tui holds an MBA from the University of Auckland. Contact about: Kaupapa M膩ori, M膩ori-related operational matters, M膩ori events, M膩ori internships, iwi relationships.

Dion Peita

Manutaki Whanaketanga Umanga M膩ori | M膩ori Business Development Director

More about Dion

Dion (Te R膩rawa, Ng膩ti Te Ata Waiohua, Ng膩ti T墨pa) joined 皇家华人 in September 2022. A former executive in the heritage industry, he has expertise in complex engagement with M膩ori. He holds a postgraduate diploma in M膩ori Development. Contact about: Vision M膩tauranga; Te Tiriti relationships; M膩ori health, education, economy and innovation.

Tama Davis

Executive Director M膩ori

More about Tama

Tama (Ng膩ti Wh膩tua, Ng膩ti Haua, Ng膩ti Tuwharetoa) supports 皇家华人 in m膩tauranga M膩ori. Tama holds an MBA and has more than 25 years鈥 experience in public health, mental wellbeing and governance. Contact Tama about Kaupapa M膩ori related to 皇家华人-managed services and projects.

Tori McNoe

Poutaki Hononga | Investment Development Lead

More about Tori

Tori (Te Arawa, Ng膩ti Tahu/Ng膩ti Whaoa, Ng膩ti Raukawa) is a young M膩ori leader whose role at 皇家华人 focuses on Indigenising investment programmes. She is also chair of the Canterbury Momentum Investment Committee. Contact about: M膩ori investment; rangatahi leadership.