19 Dec 2024
2024 has been a rewarding year, with many Te Ao Māori initiatives underway to help you as a profession celebrate engineers who whakapapa Māori as well as embed Te Ao Māori into your own mahi.
Read below for an overview of the knowledge that’s been shared this year through Kimihia Rangahaua – our Te Ao Māori programme – and get a heads up on what inspiring initiatives are coming up that you can embrace on your professional journey.
Climate Action module with a Te Ao Māori lens
Some of you would have signed up to the new online Climate Action module and noticed that
Te Ao Māori knowledge is woven throughout. This perspective was brought to life through the expertise and guidance of Aimee Matiu (Ngāi Tūpoto, Ngāti Moroki, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi) from Pattle Delamore Partners. Based on Aimee’s recommendations, you’ll be equipped to collaborate proactively with Māori to better inform your decision-making on sustainable practices.
New ENVIs award to celebrate Te Ao Māori in your mahi
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.
Success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many.
Entries are now open for a dynamic new award at the 2025 Engineering New Zealand ENVI Awards – Te Toa Takitahi Te Ao Māori Engineering Impact Award. Developed with the support of Papaki Parihau (our Māori Advisory Rōpū), the award recognises an engineer or project group positively impacting Te Ao Māori through their mahi. If you or your colleagues have shown innovation, fostered hononga and realised successful project delivery and outcomes this year, enter and make your mark.
The 2025 ENVIs are brought to you by Fletcher Construction.
Indigenous knowledge shared with international delegates
In October, engineers Alyce Lysaght (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Pākehā) from WSP, L'Rey Renata (Ngāpuhi, Tainui, Ngai Te Rangi) from GHD and Manea Sweeney (Ngāpuhi, Te Atiawa, and English descent) from Tonkin + Taylor presented at the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC). Their kōrero demonstrated to international delegates how embracing indigenous knowledge and understanding can lead to more innovative, sustainable and culturally responsive engineering practices. Watch their korero
Video spotlights company grounded in mātauranga Māori
Our Engineered for Life series returned with Paku, a company engineering kids' products grounded in mātauranga Māori. Watch their story to get inspired by how the latest engineering technologies and sustainable materials can be combined with mātauranga Māori to reimagine the objects around us in a bicultural way.
Coming up in 2025
There are two significant initiatives coming up that celebrate engineers who whakapapa Māori and Māori engineering.
National Hui
Brought to you by Te Ao Rangahau and Papaki Parihau, and with generous support from the University of Auckland, the inaugural National Wānanga for engineers with Māori heritage will take place from 1–2 July 2025 at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering.
If you’re an engineer who whakapapa Māori, the wānanga will present you with a unique opportunity for whanaungatanga and to explore Kaupapa Māori, plus enhance your professional learning. For the wider profession, you’ll be provided learnings from the wānanga to help you embed knowledge into your own initiatives.
Stay tuned for more information and how to register in early 2025.
CPD module
Another exciting learning development is around the corner. An online CPD module is being developed to equip you with the essential knowledge needed to meaningfully integrate Te Ao Māori principles into your engineering work. Watch this space.
To everyone involved in Te Ao Māori initiatives this year and to those living and breathing Māori engineering ingenuity – thank you for your mahi. We look forward to sharing more inspiring knowledge and plans with you in the new year – to help you shape your Māori programme.
