NewsAurecon launches He Rautaki Māori, our commitment to Te Ao Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Aurecon’s Pou Ārahi Māori Leader Sarah Howard (Kāi Tahu) said the strategy provides a pathway for Aurecon to build its cultural capability and create meaningful relationships with Māori.

“Māori values are part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s national identity – how we see ourselves and how we are viewed by the world. He Rautaki outlines how we intend to bring those values to life within our business and in our interactions with Māori and the community.”

Te Tiriti is the foundation under which all of us work and this strategy explains how we will realise a contemporary and authentic response to this in our business.

"Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi, ēngari he toa takitini"
Success is not the work of one, but that of many.

It is exciting to see that Aurecon has already made significant progress in implementing He Rautaki Māori, both internally in the way it does business and on projects including:

• Working with Te Aroha Grace from Figure Group to weave stories of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei (Mana Whenua of central Tāmaki Makaurau) into project designs for Aurecon’s Auckland Office to strengthen the connections between people, place and performance.
• Setting a new standard for partnering with Iwi and embedding Te Ao Māori throughout project delivery at Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway Alliance.
• Developing strong relationships with Mana Whenua partners Taranaki Whānui and Ngāti Toa Rangatira for public transport and state highway improvements as part of the Let’s Get Wellington Moving programme.
• Delivering meaningful outcomes for Māori is one of the long-term goals of the Watercare Enterprise Model.
• Reviewing and strengthening our Māori Cadetship programme, where young Māori are employed by Aurecon, supported in their development and gain qualifications as they work.
• Providing basic Te Reo Māori and tikanga courses to staff, helping staff gain confidence with Te Reo Māori, improve their pronunciation and understand some basic tikanga often used in the workplace.
• Carrying out Māori engagement workshops in our regional offices, aiming to have a successful and confident approach to Māori engagement that respects Māori tikanga and supports Māori aspirations.

KŌRERO

Aurecon strives for a better future for people, communities and our planet. The series of Māori patterns depicted above have been inspired by poutama, pātiki and kaokao tukutuku designs.

Tukutuku panels are decorative wall panels that were once part of the traditional wall construction used inside of wharenui. Important for aesthetic appeal, but more so for the stories they convey. The art of tukutuku is a time-consuming craft that demands patience, persistence and teamwork. How tidy and cohesive the end outcome reflects how well the people (who work in pairs from either side) worked together.

He Rautaki talks about ngā mātāpono such as mahi tahi so these modern graphics are an ode to this traditional artform which instantly speaks to the importance of collaboration.

The various pātiki patterns throughout connect to the notion of manaakitanga – with the flounder-shaped diamond forms being a symbol of hospitality. The strength and bravery of Tū maia is depicted in the kaokao pattern – symbolising protection of all within the whare and Rōpū. The poutama symbolises your journey as you strive upward on your journey to achieve your anamata.