Applications are now open for twenty grants of up to $25000 for iwi, hapū and hāpori Māori projects supporting revitalisation of vulnerable mātauranga Māori, thanks to the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Contestable Grants program, announced today.

The grants come as part of the Government’s Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku program, which funds initiatives to safeguard at-risk mātauranga from the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

"This is a great opportunity to support iwi Māori with projects to revitalise their vulnerable mātauranga Māori," says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Pou Whaihanga, Matene Simon. "It’s part of a much bigger process, to re-awaken the life and essence of these aspects of Māori built heritage and Ancestral Landscapes to ensure that these heirlooms of treasure will reach the hands of the future generations."

There are ten Ancestral Landscape grants available to support the retention and transmission of kōrero tuku iho as well as traditional practices within ancestral places in four broad areas: cultural mapping, maramataka, waka haerenga and kohatu. There are also ten Māori Built Heritage grants to support projects focused on revitalising vulnerable mātauranga Māori within four built heritage areas: traditional buildings, tārai waka, mahinga kai, and māra kai.

Applications open: 12th July 2021 - 20th August 2021.
Grants will be for projects able to be completed by 30th July 2022.

If you, your whānau, iwi or hapu have a project that would benefit from one of these grants, you can find information and a link to apply (from July 12th) on the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga website.

You will need to be able to present a plan for the project, demonstrating how the outcome will be realised in a manner that is appropriate, achievable and accessible for the hapori.

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