Seeking investment support for your reo revitalisation project? Ensure your project aligns to your Kāhui Investment Plan.

Te Tai Tokerau has a strong regional focus on protecting mātauranga, tikanga, and kawa across generations – through whānau-led, hapū-led, marae-based implementation. The region’s vast geographic span extends from Tāmaki Makaurau to Te Rerenga Wairua.

Te Tai Tokerau Priorities:
Growing, diversifying, and maintaining immersion domains that preserve the uniqueness of ngā reo o Te Tai Tokerau.

  • Research and resource development specific to ngā reo o Te Tai Tokerau
  • Diversifying language initiatives to reach all uri of Te Tai Tokerau
  • Accomodating all levels of language proficiency
  • Promoting regional collaboration of whaikōrero and karanga programmes to ensure quality, consistency, and sustainability
  • Building capacity in speaking te reo at home and within whānau.
Download the Investment Plan

Te Tai Tokerau Kāhui ā-Iwi

Te Tai Tokerau Investment plan is for uri of all the iwi listed below:
Te Aupōuri Ngāti Whātua
Ngāti Kahu Te Kawerau ā Maki
Ngāti Kuri Te Uri-o-Hau
Ngāpuhi Ngāti Rehua (Great Barrier Island)
Ngāpuhi ki Whaingaroa–Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa Ngāti Manuhiri
Te Rarawa Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara
Ngāi Takoto Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei
Ngāti Wai Te Roroa

Left to right: Chelsea Reti, Waitangi Piripi and Rangimarie Te Whenua speak as part of a rangatahi panel about the hīkoi mō te Tiriti. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly.

Ngā Pae Motuhake

The eight Pae Motuhake connect the strategies and activities of Te Mātāwai with the needs of kāinga, hapori and iwi in their Kāhui. Here are the Pae Motuhake representatives for your Kāhui:

Raniera McGrath

Poutaki

Moe Milne

Ngāti Hine

Hone Sadler

Ngāpuhi

Dena-Maree Hemara

Ngāpuhi

Joseph Kapea

Te Uri o Hau & Te Roroa

Joshua Wikiriwhi

Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara

Te Arepa Morehu

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei

Pou Reo/ Kaiurungi Reo & Kaiāwhina

Pou Reo and Kaiāwhina are part of the Kāhui and work closely with their Pae Motuhake to provide valuable insights and observations from the ground.

Truly Harding

Kaiurungi Reo

Tāmaki ki Te Hana

Te Hau White

Kaiurungi Reo

Whangārei ki Te Reinga


View projects we've supported from 2025-2026

 

Reo Whakaaio

Reo Whakaaio is a six-wānanga initiative that took place across four regional marae. It is designed for a cohort of 25 participants, consisting of rangatahi, pakeke, and kaumātua. The initiative’s aims were to create and expand immersion opportunities and enhance spaces for reo revitalisation.

Additionally, its focus was on collaborating with our broader Māori community groups and kaupapa networks within the west and north Auckland areas over a 12-month period.

Reo Whakaaio increased familiarity with reo, waiata, ngeri, haka, and waiata tawhito specific to Te Tai Tokerau, and provided more exposure to Te Tai Tokerau reo and tikanga in bilingual and rumaki settings, including pūrākau, taiao, and taonga tuku iho. The use of mau rākau, whakapakari tinana, and taiao to help people better understand the reo and tikanga strengthened Māori cultural identity amongst participants.

Whānau participants also established relationships, enhanced whakawhanaungatanga and increased engagement with marae in the Te Tai Tokerau. It also created connections with Māori businesses and communities, along with reo and tikanga experts from the Te Tai Tokerau and broader regions.

The motivation, attitudes, and productivity of participants towards the use of te reo in multiple contexts (home, work, and community events) have significantly improved. This is mainly due to participants feeling that the investment in their reo and tikanga is significant in future-proofing their tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake aspirations.

Te Kupenga Reo

Delivered in Kāitaia, Te Kupenga Reo bolstered the number of te reo Māori activities and the domains where the rohe dialect – the language of the multitudinous inlets of Te Tai Tokerau – could be heard. The kaupapa has strengthened the unique Te Tai Tokerau language variations, developed and maintained immersion domains, and ensured natural intergenerational transmission of ngā reo o Te Tai Tokerau.

There were four activities, all competitions, to the kaupapa, consisting of: a whaikōrero competition for adults, a whaikōrero competition for rangatahi, a debate for the whānau and CrossFit competition, all generations speaking te reo together, competing hard against one another with laughter strengthening their sense of belonging and confidence.
 

Are you one of our Kaitono? Or do you run an amazing kaupapa reo you'd like us to promote? Share with us any event, images, videos or resources. We'd like to connect with you!

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