Standing Tall in Our Aotearoa Identity

It’s fair to say the last few years have been turbulent and unpredictable, e hoa mā, especially when it comes to race relations and politics in Aotearoa, New Zealand. For many of us, this has sparked a deeper, more intentional reflection on our beliefs, our values, and our aspirations for the future of our beautiful nation.

This time has certainly kept us here at Riki Consultancy busy! Our mahi is all about helping businesses in Aotearoa stand in their own identity, confidently, unapologetically, and in a way that honours te Tiriti o Waitangi. We support people and businesses to grow their knowledge and practice in ways that reflect our unique and special Aotearoa identity. Nathan (my co-director and younger brother), and I feel privileged to do this mahi, and trust me, we’ve seen it all: the cautious first steps, the nervous laughter, the big ‘aha!’ moments, and yes, the dreaded Pākehā Paralysis (don’t worry, it’s not fatal and it’s definitely treatable).

So, why does it matter? Because if you’re in business in Aotearoa, you’re already part of the cultural fabric of our whenua. You embody our Aotearoatanga, here and now, and help to shape our future. That comes with a responsibility to be informed by our past, carrying the best of our cultural identity forward and wearing that korowai with the mana it deserves.

Six Top Tips for Becoming a Culturally Confident, tiriti-honouring Business

1. Get outa ‘tokenism land’ before the Pākehā Paralysis sets in!

You know, that feeling you get when you’re frozen on the spot with a continuous inner voice saying, “I don’t want to be tokenistic, I don’t want to get it wrong.” For most of us, this results in doing nothing at all. The good news is twofold - it’s usually a sign your heart’s in the right place, secondly, it’s entirely curable I promise! I, too, have been caught in the paralysis, having taken up residence in ‘tokey land’, and I have lots of aroha for those of you frozen in that spot. The cure is actually pretty simple - Just Do Something.

Learn one new kupu Māori a week and use it. Attend a hui, even if you’re nervous. Spice up your comms and emails with some reo - even a simple ‘ngā mihi’ is something. Just start, and then keep going. By definition, tokenism is ‘that thing you did that one time’. Don’t want to be tokenistic, don’t be! Take small but genuine steps forward each day, week, month and year. Movement is the key - not perfection, but connection. Then challenge yourself to go deeper than surface gestures or seasoning with the ‘māori lens’ on top. Keep upping your game, go hard, give it heaps,  karawhiua! ( ← see what I did there!)

2. Be clear about what you want to achieve.

It’s not just about pronunciation (though, please, try the pronunciation). Cultural capability means knowing how to walk with integrity in both te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā. It’s about building authentic relationships, honouring tikanga, and being brave enough to admit when you don’t know. Culturally safe organisations should be a given, not a ‘nice to have’. Authentically embodying our Aotearoa identity is what makes our organisations unique, special, a taonga. Honouring the aspirations of our forebearers for an equitable Aotearoa is something I think we should all strive for. Winning in business is not about how well we do; it’s about how the communities we serve are positively impacted by our service.

3. What’s in it for you?

This isn’t about ticking boxes, it’s about thriving. Businesses that embed te Tiriti o Waitangi and respectfully honour te ao Māori values are more innovative, more connected, and frankly, more fun to work in. People want to belong to something bigger than profit margins. They want to belong to a whānau. A whānau that shares their values and aspirations, and empowers them to be the best leader they can be. Shared vision, organisational culture and identity do that. Aotearoa is becoming increasingly diverse, and so must our organisations. We are a multicultural nation, founded on a bicultural identity and a founding agreement that provides a framework for equity for all. Meeting the needs of your staff and communities is just good business. And that requires us all to step outside of our personal cultural comfort zone, and co-design our organisation’s identity alongside those who will live it out loud.

4. Kia tere, the next GEN is on your doorstep!

Here’s the truth: the rangatahi Māori coming through are bold, brilliant, and far more culturally confident than many of us were allowed to be. They’re growing up with kura kaupapa, kapa haka, te reo Māori on Netflix, and workplaces that pronounce their names correctly. They will expect your business to be culturally empowering, not “still figuring it out”.

And the stats back it up. The Māori population is growing fast (predicted to be around one in five New Zealanders by 2040), and the Māori economy is already worth over $126 billion and climbing. Aotearoa’s greatest economic resource is the next generation.

If your workplace isn’t ready for these confident, discerning leaders, you’ll struggle to attract and keep them. Simple as that. Let’s face it, a ‘vanilla’ workplace won’t accurately reflect the Aotearoa communities we serve, which risks a misalignment of values and risks the success of your business. Being a culturally empowering business is just good business! Think of this mahi not just as “doing the right thing” (though it is), it’s also future proofing your organisation. Build spaces where Māori talent doesn’t just survive, but thrives.

5. Ambicultural Leaders

The leaders of the future in Aotearoa won’t just walk in one cultural world; they’ll be confidently navigating multiple. Ambicultural leadership is the ability to blend and balance different cultural values, practices, and ways of thinking in leadership. Here in Aotaroa, it’s about knowing how to weave te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā together, drawing the best of both to make better decisions, build stronger teams, and connect more deeply with communities.

It’s not about becoming an ‘expert’ in someone else’s culture; it’s about integrating the best aspects of multiple cultures to create something more inclusive and responsive to the cultural needs of others. It involves moving fluently between worlds, understanding, respecting, and actively weaving together different cultural traditions, beliefs, and leadership models. To do this, you’ll need to be open to unlearning and relearning, act with humility and lead in ways that honour multiple worldviews. Put simply, ambicultural leaders will shape the most resilient, innovative, and trusted businesses in Aotearoa.

6. So, how do you get started?

As I said above, we have some unlearning to do as a nation to make way for some relearning. For me, foundational to this journey is learning about te Tiriti o Waitangi and our nation’s history. I know I wasn’t educated on this very important kaupapa well enough, and I know many others are in the same boat. So starting with a foundational te Tiriti o Waitangi education session is paramount to starting this journey.

Next, I recommend doing a ‘pulse check’ of your organisation. How culturally capable are your staff? What is the status of your organisation’s relationship with Mana Whenua? Are you clear about your organisation’s commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi? What expertise do you already have in your organisation? What is the aspiration here in terms of organisational culture?

It’s important that we all honour the koha the Māori world offers us. When your agenda is genuine, you are eager to learn and grow, you will be welcomed with open arms and an abundance of aroha. In times gone by, you could likely earn a flicked ear or a stern growling for even mispronouncing a kupu Māori. We tend to take a more ‘you get more bees with honey’ approach nowadays and welcome people in to learn and grow, offering them all the time and support they need. Mistakes are seen as part of the learning journey and not something to be avoided - nau mai ngā hapa, we welcome the mistakes as that means you are giving it your best. You don’t need to show up to the hāngī with your own packed lunch, nau mai e hoa, come along and give it a try! If you find you don’t like it, we will happily make you a marmite sandwich, but being present at the hāngī is the most important thing. Second only to picking up the teatowel after kai!

Lastly, understand that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The more you know, the more you’ll realise how much more there is to learn. I get that this process can feel confronting and frustrating. But it’s meant to - no one ever makes changes from a place of comfort! You should celebrate progress, not completion and certainly not perfection. You’ll be playing the long game here, but with each 100m, you’re cheerleading squad will grow and your endurance will strengthen. Kia kaha!

Hei Whakakapi

This mahi is never about shame, blame or finger-pointing. It’s about unity, lifting each other up, having a laugh at ourselves along the way, and building businesses that future generations will be proud of. At Riki Consultancy, we believe in a future where every workplace in Aotearoa feels like it belongs here, because it truly does.

So next time you feel the paralysis kick in, remember: get everyone in the waka, map out the destination together, pick up the paddle, and just start paddling / ki te hoe! He waka eke noa. We’re all in this waka together.

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.

My strength is not that of mine alone, but that of many.