A valuable cultural tool for council staff and elected representatives throughout Hawkes Bay was launched this week.

The new Māori cultural app, Te Kupenga, aims to help staff and councillors be more responsive and proactive in regard to Treaty principles and their engagement with tangata whenua.

The free app is available via Google Play (Galaxy) and App Store (Apple).

Te Kupenga is the result of collaboration between the Māori specialist teams in the councils, and the information will improve understanding of Te Reo Māori and Tikanga, as well as local knowledge about Treaty settlement entities and tangata whenua of Te Matau a Māui.

The name Te Kupenga comes from Te Kupenga a Te Huki, a celebrated ancestor of Ngāti Kahungunu, whose greatest achievement was to create unity through networking.

Wairoa District Council is pleased to have contributed to the development of Te Kupenga.

Interim chief executive Kitea Tipuna says the council is a partner organisation in the Te Wairoa ReoRua strategy which aims to make Wairoa a bilingual community by 2040 and the council’s Te Reo Māori policy is another way to demonstrate leadership in seeing Te Reo Māori flourish in the Wairoa community.

“This new app is another tool Wairoa District Council is able to use to support our staff and also support the wider region in seeing our reo thrive.”

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little acknowledged the input from Wairoa staff that went into creating the app.

“The work of our Maori Relationships Manager Duane Culshaw, who worked collaboratively with his colleagues throughout Hawkes Bay, was vital in bringing this valuable resource to fruition.”

3 March 2021

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