The conference Poipoia te Manawa Māui will bring together Māori public servants and allies to connect, celebrate, learn and create change.

The event addresses a need for excellence in the public service including the appropriate application of te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, culturally competent staff at all levels, and the use of frameworks including by Māori-for Māori and whānau-centred approaches.

Conference kaikōrero, Mohi Apou, says the name Poipoia te Manawa Māui inspires people to bring out their true, authentic selves. He believes that just like the multi-faceted tīpuna Māui, people can channel their own individual traits, values and talents for good.

“These are our super powers. How do those intrinsic qualities serve as super powers and how do they give benefit to mankind or even in the spaces we work in today?”

A small team of wāhine Māori came up with the idea after sharing their experiences and challenges being a Māori public servant. They have since formed a charitable trust, Te Rau Hihiri, that will create catalytic events that bring agenda relevant to Māori to the forefront.

“We are part of a long legacy. We need to think today about how we can be better ancestors of tomorrow. We are the change agents of now.” says Te Rau Hihiri Chair and Trustee, Kara Nepe-Apatu.

Their vision? To see a bicultural public sector that upholds the mana of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and makes better decisions for Aotearoa.

Poipoia te Manawa Māui is the premiere event happening on Thursday 3 March with a larger event planned for later in the year.

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