Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna

TKKM o Ngā Mokopuna aims to create Ngā Tapuwae a-Taraika Tours, financially sustainable cultural walking tours to schools, businesses, and tourists, to learn about shared history around Te Whanganui-a-tara.

TKKM o Ngā Mokopuna's moemoeā…

Me tiro whakamuri, kia anga whakamua: looking backwards to move forward into the future

Ngā Tapuwae a-Taraika/Taraika Tours (NTa-T) is a grass-roots, rangatahi-inspired initiative that privileges mātauranga Māori through the lens of Māori youth. By following in the footprints of great minds from generations long ago, NTa-T offers a localised narrative that is specifically focused on the people, places, and historical events surrounding the majestic Wellington harbour, Te Whanganui a-Tara. This initiative forms part of a legacy that is accessible to and designed for all to enjoy, fostering a connection to the land and its rich history.

NTa-T are intentional about how our histories shape our present lives. By giving voice to these stories, we affirm our identity and ground ourselves in our tikanga, language and wairua. Our kōrero tuku iho emphasises the sacred, historical, cultural, and tribal landmarks that are significant to our ancestors across Aotearoa. These stories connect people and places across time – past, present, and future, ensuring a lasting legacy of knowledge that can be shared and passed down for generations to come.

To achieve these aspirations, NTa-T plans to develop a website and mobile platform to facilitate bookings, offer virtual tours, and provide educational resources for visitors. A drone will also provide us with the ability to showcase the breathtaking local landscapes, from an aerial and perhaps, professional perspective. This will provide further avenues for us to offer virtual tours and to undertake cultural mapping using Geographic Information Systems to expand our audience and make cultural content more accessible.

NTa-T aims to establish sustainable financial resources through strategic partnerships by offering cultural walking tours to schools, businesses, and tourists, to learn about our shared history. These tours provide a hands-on experience that ensures knowledge is passed down employing the tuakana-teina approach.

Please provide an overview of your project

Ngā Tapuwae a-Taraika (NTa-T)/Taraika Tours, is a kaupapa Māori initiative built on service, driven by whakawhanaungatanga, and powered by the vision and leadership of energetic rangatahi Māori. Our business is rooted in an indigenous framework, sharing and embedding ancestral knowledge, anchored in the people, places, and pivotal events that have and continue to shape our stories at Te Panepane o-te-Ika (The Head of the Fish).

At its heart, NTa-T is about reclaiming identity, reaffirming tikanga, and breathing life into our kōrero tuku iho from ahi kaa. By connecting sacred and historical sites of the Wellington region to the present, we build a bridge across generations, ensuring that these stories are preserved, celebrated, and passed on. Our goal is to provide cultural walking tours tailored for schools, businesses, and manuhiri. These mana-enhancing, hands-on experiences are guided by tuakana-teina, allowing Mātauranga Māori to be shared in ways that are both meaningful and enduring.

What were the major outcomes of this kaupapa? 

One of our proudest accomplishments has been building strong relationships with repeat clients – most notably Wētā FX. Their ongoing support of our cultural walking tours reflects their confidence in the value of what we offer. Repeat bookings have prompted us to refresh and expand our tour content, adding new stories and interactive elements. Feedback from other manuhiri also led us to reflect critically on how we can evolve and continue improving what we offer.

A particularly exciting development came from Te Ngawari Wright (Female Lead of the Kapa Haka group, Ngāti Whakaue – 2025 Te Matatini winners), who approached us with the idea of collaborating to offer a more immersive cultural experience. Te Ngawari suggested integrating elements such as waiata, poi, haka, and traditional food into our tours. As part of this proposal, our rōpū is now planning a learning trip to Rotorua to explore local cultural attractions and gather inspiration to weave into our own mahi.

Another major milestone was delivering our first Hautapu ceremony – entirely in te reo Māori. This was the result of weekly wānanga held during Terms 1 and 2, where we were supported by former students Watene Campbell and Paige Scruton Nepe-Apatu to learn karakia and karanga. We also developed our storytelling and technical skills in filming and production, guided by professionals from Te Papa Tongarerewa, Norm Heke and Maeve Reid. This included learning narration, sequencing, camera angles, lighting, sound, and interview techniques.

What were some of the challenges your kaupapa faced during its implementation?

we've encountered a few challenges that have offered valuable insights and opportunities for growth. One piece of constructive feedback we received from a tour participant highlighted the need to improve the clarity and visual appeal of our tour map. They found the current version difficult to read and suggested collaborating with a design company to create a more engaging and user-friendly visual resource, moving beyond a basic paper format to something more interactive and accessible.

We were also advised to improve on how we promote and communicate our tour offerings. Specifically, feedback pointed to the need for clearer information around how to book, what the tours include, set pricing, and a more streamlined payment process, such as providing invoices up front or offering digital payment options. While these aspects presented initial challenges, they've helped us re-evaluate parts of our delivery and inspired us to prioritise improvements that will enhance the experience for our manuhiri and support the professional growth of NTa-T.

Another key challenge we faced throughout our business implementation has been navigating availability and scheduling – a common hurdle for us as secondary school students. We had to postpone two tours due to weather disruptions, and at times, we've felt stretched thin trying to balance school, sports, kapa haka, and other commitments alongside our ambitious business goals.

How did this kaupapa benefit from the Pou Herenga Tangata Award? 

Funding from Tapuwae Roa was a critical enabler of both the practical and aspirational goals of our project. It allowed us to deliver high-quality experiences that are culturally authentic and accessible to all involved. With this support, we were able to:

• Invest in audio equipment that elevated the quality and clarity of our tours.
• Provide professional development and mentoring for our rōpū – Offer koha and catering, creating mana-enhancing, inclusive spaces.
• Engage skilled professionals who contributed to the delivery and growth of our kaupapa.
• Purchase branded merchandise, reinforcing pride in our identity and unity as a team.

More than just funding equipment and services, the support inspired belief in our vision. It affirmed that our rangatahi-led kaupapa is worth backing, which strengthened our confidence and drive. It also encouraged a more structured, collaborative approach to decision-making and day-to-day operations, ensuring that everyone felt seen, heard, and valued.

What are your future plans for this kaupapa?

Ngā Tapuwae a-Taraika are absolutely committed to continuing and growing this kaupapa well into the future. Our aspirations are grounded in the desire to uplift and empower more rangatahi Māori by expanding the reach of our business across the wider Wellington region and beyond. We aim to offer our cultural walking tours to more schools, organisations, and communities, building a legacy of connection, identity, and mātauranga that will serve generations to come.

One of our core dreams is to establish a sustainable, self-sufficient, profitable business model that creates ongoing opportunities for rangatahi to step into leadership roles. We will continue to grow our tuakana-teina relationships – nurturing confident, connected young people who are proud of their language, culture, and whakapapa, and who are ready to inspire others.

Ultimately, our business aims to create a continuous pipeline of rangatahi Māori who are passionate about cultural storytelling and dedicated to serving their communities. We want to see ourselves thrive in these creative business spaces, not just as participants, but as leaders and innovators.