Navigating change with cultural integrity, collective purpose, and a vision for all.
Kaupapa Māori leadership in te ao hurihuri — the changing world — is grounded in values, relationships, and a deep awareness of collective responsibility. It is not confined to positions of authority, but flows through whānau, hapū, iwi, and community contexts where leadership is expressed through service, manaaki, and the advancement of kaupapa that sustain both people and place.
As Durie (2002) highlights, the challenge for Aotearoa is to reconcile three interwoven obligations: citizenship (equality and democratic rights), indigeneity (the unique rights and responsibilities of tangata whenua), and Te Tiriti o Waitangi (a living partnership between Māori and the Crown). Although articulated more than two decades ago, this call remains deeply relevant today, as the nation continues to navigate complex questions of equity, representation, and partnership. True recognition of kaupapa Māori leadership therefore demands approaches that value participation in Māori society as much as engagement in the wider spheres of national decision-making and development — ensuring equitable access to systems, structures, services, and opportunities, while honouring the distinctive contribution of Te Ao Māori to the nation’s wellbeing and prosperity.
The Kura Poutama – Poutama IQ Ascent Series pathways directly support this aspiration. Each pathway fosters the skills, insight, and relational depth needed to lead in ways that are both kaupapa-aligned and universally relevant — enabling all citizens, tangata whenua and tangata tiriti, to contribute meaningfully to the design and enactment of systems, structures, and responses that are effective, equitable, and culturally compatible. By engaging with kaupapa Māori leadership principles, participants strengthen their capacity to influence decision-making, navigate complexity with cultural integrity, and shape pathways that serve the collective good of all New Zealanders.
In this way, kaupapa Māori leadership provides a unifying framework — one in which diversity, equity, and shared responsibility are woven into the very fabric of leadership.
Reflection for Leaders
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Would developing the skills, insight, and relational depth to lead in ways that are both kaupapa-aligned and universally relevant strengthen my influence, cultural integrity, and ability to serve the collective good of all New Zealanders?
Further Reading
Read Durie's (2002) Universal provision, indigeneity and the Treaty of Waitangi here
References
Durie, M. (2002). Universal provision, indigeneity and the Treaty of Waitangi. Victoria University of Wellington Law Review, 33(3/4), 591–602. https://doi.org/10.26686/vuwlr.v33i3/4.5876
Image credit: Tahere, K. (2025). Used with permission.
Author: Megan Tahere. (2025).