Generating, researching and leading mātauranga Māori & kaupapa Māori career development in Aotearoa

Hāpai Tūhono exists to strengthen Māori leadership in career development, grounded in mātauranga Māori and lived through kaupapa Māori. We are committed to creating the conditions for Māori and other Indigenous peoples to lead the futures they define for themselves.

OUR MAHI

Our philosophy is evident through the relationships we build, the research we undertake, the programmes we deliver, and the partnerships we nurture. Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to strengthening mātauranga Māori, revitalising career development through kaupapa Māori, and growing Indigenous leadership in Aotearoa and beyond. 

Our mahi across career development is organised under the following headings:

• Research and knowledge
• Establishing quality frameworks that advance mātauranga Māori
• Building an evaluation and evidence base for kaupapa Māori practice

Mātauranga Māori is the foundation of our mahi. It shapes who we are, how we understand the world and the way we work alongside others. We recognise that there is no single expression of mātauranga Māori. For iwi, hapū and whānau, Māori knowledge is diverse, dynamic and continually evolving. It is shaped by place, language, relationships, lived experience, and the unique histories across Aotearoa. This richness is one of our greatest strengths.

Through mātauranga Māori we understand career development as lifelong journeys of identity, belonging, contribution, and collective wellbeing. Individual aspirations are inseparable from whānau, hapū, iwi, whenua, and future generations. Career development is about cultivating people's ability to live meaningful lives, fulfil responsibilities, strengthen communities, and realise collective aspirations.

Mātauranga Māori also shapes how we engage with the wider world. It enables us to connect with other Indigenous peoples and scholarship from a place of confidence, exercising tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake over our own knowledge while remaining open to learning alongside each other. Our purpose is to contribute our knowledge with integrity, reciprocity, and respect.

At Hāpai Tūhono, we strive for a future of career development in Aotearoa being shaped by Māori leadership. Māori voices, knowledge, and aspirations have been underrepresented in the theories, policies, research, and practices that influence career development. Our kaupapa is to strengthen the capability and confidence of Māori to lead these conversations within our own communities, across the profession, and alongside government, educators, employers, and policymakers.

Growing Indigenous leadership is more than developing individual leaders. It is about creating the conditions where mātauranga Māori can confidently shape the future of career development. Leadership exists within whānau, hapū, iwi, communities, practitioners, researchers, educators, employers, and rangatahi themselves. We seek to nurture this leadership so that Māori aspirations are defined and advanced by Māori, for Māori.

We also recognise the importance of relationships with Indigenous peoples throughout the world. We believe leadership is strengthened through capability, and capability is strengthened when Māori are called to lead. Together, we contribute to global conversations by sharing the richness of our own Indigenous knowledge and learning alongside others.