Kei Taku Hikurangi 2025
“Mā te whakarongo, ka mōhio, mā te mōhio, ka mārama, mā te mārama, ka matau, mā te matau, ka ora.”
Through listening comes knowledge, through knowledge comes understanding, through understanding comes wisdom, and through wisdom comes wellbeing.
As we wrap up Kei Taku Hikurangi this year with our fourth wānanga we acknowledge the continued bravery and the vulnerability of our whānau. We set out to surface the different perspectives and tensions that exist and explore how we may reframe them as creative challenges that open up pathways for our shared aspirations. That can be confronting but our whānau navigated it with such grace.
Coming together on 18 October 2026 encouraged us to listen deeply, speak honestly and find meaning in each other’s experiences. It was a beautiful reminder of why this kaupapa matters.
We talked about gratitude and choosing to invest in the things that uplift us. When we invest in gratitude, we invest in positivity and growth. Instead of only focusing on what’s wrong, we give energy to what’s strong.
As we started naming the tensions we realised that the disconnection that we feel from whenua, te reo Māori and even from one another, are the consequences of history and the lasting effects of colonisation. We acknowledge that we carry the outcomes of what was done to our people, but we also hold the power to redefine what comes next.
Creative challenges
How do we make this a place that all whānau can call home?
How do we balance the need to uphold tikanga with the welcoming or growth of evolving tikanga?
How do we start to face the long-lasting impacts of colonisation?
How do we shift from consequence focus to strengths-based, positive and grateful?
And more…
Emerging themes
Momentum: Growth doesn’t always come from big leaps, but from steady, consistent action. Every wānanga, every conversation, every small step keeps the movement alive
Whanaungatanga: Being linked by whakapapa is one thing, but maintaining those relationships through participation, presence and care is what truly strengthens our whānau
Rangatahi: How they see and experience the world differently to us, we need to meet them where they are
Narrative: What positive stories or perspectives are we hearing about the marae?
And more…
Throughout the day, we noticed how much our communication matters — not just what we say, but how we listen and interpret. There was shared acknowledgement that mending relationships within whānau takes honesty, forgiveness and aroha. So, how do we make sure our marae remains a place of noa, a grounding space for learning, reconciliation and healing?
Success could look like…
Multi-generational reconnections and bridging the identity gaps from tamariki to rangatahi to pakeke to kaumātua
Developing a culture of learning and continuously evaluating ourselves and practice
Succession planning by developing the tools, trust and support needed to continue the mahi long after us in our next leaders
And more…
Kei Taku Hikurangi will be back next year. 2025 has been the discovery phase which acknowledged our rich whakapapa and current state. 2026 will be more creative and imaginative, and whānau will be introduced to new tools and ways of thinking about the future of Mangatawa Marae.
In the meantime, we encourage whānau to interact with the content, add more reflections or any wonderings. We look forward to seeing you and perhaps some new faces to the journey next year!
