Te Taiao Strategy
Regenerating Whānau, Hapū, and Whenua for Our Future
Framing Te Taiao
Te Taiao extends far beyond the simple translation of 'ecology' or 'environment'. It embraces a vast, interconnected web of life - encompassing land, sea, sky, ancestors, and all living beings. Our understanding of Te Taiao is deeply rooted in an indigenous Māori worldview, which acknowledges the living world as a whole, enfolding all that surrounds and sustains us.
As ngā uri o Ngāti Tāwhirikura, Te Taiao is central to our identity,
connection to one another and worldview.
"Ko au te Taiao, ko te Taiao ko au"
I am the Taiao, and the Taiao is me.
The whakataukī expresses our shared origins with Ranginui (sky father) and Papatūānuku (earth mother). Our tūpuna live on...within the landscape, the air we breathe, and all living things.
Whakapapa binds us intimately to Te Taiao -
to our ancestors, our atua, and the very essence of who we are.
"Haere ki te whakarongo ki nga kōrero a te moana"
Go and listen to what the sea has to say.
Source Te Aranou Lake, in Whakawai 2022
For our tamariki and rangatahi, Te Taiao is a place for spiritual reconnection, a realm infused with tūpuna energy, where kai is nurtured, and where healing and grounding begin.
“[Te Taiao] helps us with everything; it's a place where we can connect and find kai and grow all our food and just reconnect to a place that we belong.
(TKRW1, Tama, age 14)
“how I explain Te Taiao... it's spiritual, a place of tūpuna, so when I go in the garden,
I feel real tau, and I take the time to whakangā and whakaha…
and I can feel the beautiful energy and spirits".
(TKRW1, Kotiro, age 10)
This holistic and relational perspective frames Te Taiao as a living network of ancestral connections and reciprocal relationships - deserving of respect, care, and restoration. We do not just inhabit or govern our environment; we embody it.
Our wellbeing is inseparable from the health of Te Taiao.
Within this context, Te Taiao is the foundation of our Māori worldview and the cornerstone of our intergenerational aspiration: to restore the mauri and mana of all living things through whānau and hapū-led regeneration.
Regeneration is intrinsic - the pattern of life itself.
Just as the cells in our body continually renew, so too do ecosystems constantly regenerate. Our tūpuna lived as regenerative cultures, deeply embedded in the bioregions we call home.
Our Te Taiao Strategy is a return to home - to our whenua, our people, and our whānau.
It calls us to awaken to our role as kaitiaki -caretakers and living expressions of Te Taiao.
It acknowledges daunting global challenges but invites us to engage authentically and respectfully with our local places, people, whakapapa, climate, and whenua.
Our Indigenous Māori worldview is fundamental to this journey.
True regeneration can only happen when we reject the notion that the world exists “other” for exploitation. Instead, we reclaim our participatory relationship within the whānau of all life, walking forward with responsibility, respect, and reciprocity.
The Story Behind Our Te Taiao Strategy
Our Te Taiao Strategy is more than a document - it is a living, embodied kaupapa shaped and nurtured by the voices of whānau and ngā uri o Ngāti Tāwhirikura Hapū. Rooted firmly in Kaupapa Māori principles, this Strategy was developed through our research and regeneration kaupapa, Te Kāhui Rau (2022–2024).
Visit our website or download a Summary Report of the kaupapa.
Drawing deeply on indigenous wisdom, mātauranga Māori, and the voices of whānau, it reflects the intricate interconnectedness of kāinga, whenua, culture, and economy - and the ways these dimensions influence the wellbeing of Te Taiao. Our aspiration was for the Strategy to embody the hopes and dreams of our whānau, while also providing clear, actionable pathways to restore the mana and mauri of Te Taiao.
We ask all visitors and users to engage with this Strategy with respect and manaaki, acknowledging that it is a taonga of our whanau and hapū. Please ensure any use or reference of this Strategy honours its origins by citing The Rautāpatu Foundation.
Together, we uphold the mauri and mana of our people, whenua, and traditions through this living framework.
Pathway 1: Revitalising Taiao
Taiao-centric focus on building expertise through education and skills development to accelerate sustainable and
regenerative land use changes.
Four Aspirational Pou
Respectful Use of our
Te Taiao Strategy
The Te Kāhui Rau Te Taiao Strategy is a living framework born from the aspirations, knowledge, and values of ngā uri o Ngāti Tāwhirikura.
It reflects the collective voice and enduring mana of our people,
our whenua, and our taiao.
We respectfully ask that any use, sharing, or adaptation of this strategy acknowledges its source and is referenced as the work of
The Rautāpatu Foundation.
This ensures the integrity, cultural authorship, and aspirations embedded within Te Taiao are honoured and upheld.
Thank you for recognising and respecting the rangatiratanga and tino rangatiratanga of our people in sustaining and sharing this vital kaupapa.
Access our Te Taiao Strategy here
To request a copy of our full Te Taiao Strategy 2024-2029
Please email kiaora@rautapatu.nz