Hui Arotake for Investment Round 2024-2025 come to an end
It’s been a busy month for the Pae Motuhake of Te Mātāwai, as 90 iwi panelists who are te reo Māori champions, language advocates and experts completed the final leg of the 2024-2025 Te Mātāwai Investment Round. Kua ‘hau te pau’.
From April to mid-May, hui arotake (moderation hui) were hosted across the motu by each of the eight Pae Motuhake to make recommendations on investment. This year alone, a total of $33.4 million was requested by Kaitono, when we only have $10 million of investment available.
Seven of the Pae Motuhake(external link) represent iwi in their respective Kāhui (clusters), and Te Reo Tukutuku represents sector-based organisations (Māori broadcasting, education, communities and urban).
Each Pae Motuhake has their own set of investment priorities for their Kāhui, which align to the Board’s overarching intentions. For example, one of Te Arawa’s priorities is investment in initiatives that support intergenerational transmission of te reo (Te Arawa Waka kia mau ki ō reo tuku iho), and one of Mātaatua’s priorities is language planning with whānau, hapū and iwi.
Speaking at Te Matoe o te Reo in March, Pae Motuhake member of Te Whāiti ki te Taiuru, Dr Ruakere Hond, highlighted the importance of kāinga (homes), hapori (community), horopaki (context), mārama pū (critical awareness), toa (reo leaders) and tuakiri (identity) for reo revitalisation. All of which are in the Te Tai Hau-ā-uru Investment Plan.
“Koinei te whāinga mō te tuku moni ki te tautoko i ā koutou kaupapa. Mehemea e taea ana te kawe ētahi o wērā kaupapa i roto i ō koutou kōkiri, ka tautokona e Te Mātāwai,” he says.
Since our inception, hui arotake are held after applications close. Here, the Pae Motuhake collate recommendations to the Poari Matua (Board) to determine which kaitono receive investment from Te Mātāwai. This is based on the alignment of the application to:
- Board strategic priorities
- Kāhui criteria and its Investment Strategy
- Value for level of investment
- Contribution to reo Māori revitalisation
- Capacity and capability demonstrated in the proposal
- Ability to achieve positive outcomes and measurable impact for whānau and wider community.
Te Mātawai Investment Manager Nate Brabender says as awareness of our investment opportunities increase, so too does the quantity and quality of applications Te Mātāwai receive, highlighting the passion kāinga, hapori and iwi have for reo revitalisation.
“The huge oversubscription and high calibre of applications meant Pae Motuhake had the very difficult task of prioritising investment in kaupapa that aligned to their respective Kāhui investment priorities and, more regrettably, turning away kaupapa for investment this round.”