Engaging with Clients / Te Toro atu ki ngā Kiritaki

Question 1

uara Māori

Answer 1

Māori values

Question 2

tikanga

Answer 2

practices

Question 3

Uara

Answer 3

Values

Question 4

Akoranga

Answer 4

Lesson

Question 5

Kaimahi

Answer 5

Employee

Question 6

Kawenata

Answer 6

Covenant, agreement, treaty

Question 7

Aotearoa whānui

Answer 7

wider New Zealand

Question 8

karakia

Answer 8

blessings

Question 9

hui

Answer 9

meetings

Question 10

waiata

Answer 10

songs

Question 11

kaikōrero

Answer 11

speakers

Question 12

mana whenua

Answer 12

tribal authorities

Work hard to develop reciprocal relationships with your hapū / local tribe and marae. Take note and learn their kawa / local protocols and kōrero / stories, but ensure this is led by them. This relationship will take time to foster, but their input and support is essential if you hope to truly embody Te Tiriti and honour your Tangata Whenua / local indigenous people.

Question 13

mahi

Answer 13

work

Question 14

kaupapa

Answer 14

Initiative, theme, topic, purpose, plan

Question 15

kawa

Answer 15

local protocols

Question 16

kōrero

Answer 16

Stories, history, narrative

Question 17

Tangata Whenua

Answer 17

local indigenous people

Question 18

mihimihi

Answer 18

introductions

Offer opportunities for your team to learn about mihimihi / introductions and their variations – personal and professional, Māori and Non-Māori versions. Allocate time in virtual or face-to-face hui to develop whakawhanaungatanga / establishing genuine relationships, before launching straight into business.

Question 19

whakawhanaungatanga

Answer 19

establishing genuine relationships

Question 20

“E kore e taea i te rā te waru”

Answer 20

A beautifully carved waka cannot be fashioned in one day.

Long-lasting, meaningful Partnerships are more likely to develop and be maintained through respectful interactions, patience, integrity and an open mind and heart.

The tikanga / practices outlined will assist you and your team in achieving authentic unions as well as the support, approval and respect of your mana whenua.

Question 21

Te Ao Māori

Answer 21

The Māori World

Question 22

He Mahere Mauroa

Answer 22

Create a long-term plan

What do you hope your organisation looks and operates like after 6 months, 1 year, 3 or 5 years?

Things to consider

• Do you have an overarching plan in place to reach your vision?
• Do you have a vision?
• How will your vision/aspirations be implemented?
• Do your company values align with this new direction?
• What needs to be done to align key stakeholders, team members and your communities to these changes?

Question 23

Te Ara Whakangungu

Answer 23

Build internal capacity

If you and your team are engaging in this course, you have already taken steps to build internal capacity, nō reira, ka nui te mihi ki a koutou – congratulations, and well done!

Some things to be mindful of as you advance on this cultural journey:

• Be careful not to lean too heavily on your Māori employees, even those recruited for the very purpose of growing cultural confidence and capability within your organisation. Māori people and communities are still in a phase of language and cultural revitalisation and the pool of competent human resources is still very low, so, if your team is lucky enough to have a cultural guide amongst you, they need to be wrapped, supported and resourced to do this mahi / work effectively.
• Do not assume that because your employees/colleagues identify as Māori that they are capable or comfortable to lead in this area – many of us are still on our own personal journeys of discovery and reconnection and there are layers of intergenerational trauma that need to be acknowledged and handled with the utmost care.

Question 24

Manaaki Manuhiri

Answer 24

Receiving and caring for Visitors

Develop and implement internal protocols for receiving guests in your office or space, beyond the usual sign in process.

• Build internal confidence to hold and run Mihi Whakatau / Speeches of Welcome guided by tikanga Māori. Design a ‘guide’ that can be used for your team to prepare for these ceremonies and for those who are looking to visit your offices.
• Ensure that your processes reflect local etiquette – this is where a connection and input from mana whenua is imperative.
• It’s also very important that those from your organisation who reach out to groups or individuals to arrange hui / meetings use the appropriate language in their communication when doing so. Ensuring correct pronunciation of personal, iwi or business names is extremely important.

Question 25

Ngā Whakahaere

Answer 25

Facilitate Hui via tikanga Māori

Tikanga

Ensure your attendees are fully aware of the tikanga in which you will conduct the hui / meeting. As hosts, you will determine the procedures, so be clear of the expectations and what each attendee will need to do to meet these.

Karakia

Begin and conclude hui / meetings with karakia. Karakia can be delivered in any language, but the advice is that the conductor chooses karakia that are appropriate to the occasion and are of a non-denominational nature to include all backgrounds and representations present.

Mihimihi

Allow the opportunity for people to make connections before business takes place. This can be done in the form of mihimihi / introductions. Mihimihi doesn’t demand that you deliver your introduction in te reo Māori / the Māori language (though it is applauded when it is done!), using the Māori language that you know, bilingualising your delivery or using your native language are all accepted and highly encouraged.

Honouring our commitment to tangata whenua and Te Tiriti

Following the protocol of this engagement is the most important factor. These steps and procedures will connect individuals present and empower attendees, their culture and identity. Following tikanga also honours our commitment to tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Question 26

manuhiri

Answer 26

guests

Question 27

wawata

Answer 27

aspirations

Question 28

“He moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka.”

Answer 28

A tumultuous sea can be navigated by a vessel.

Question 29

Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui!

Answer 29

Be strong, be brave, be steadfast!