Te Kaupapa
What this all about?
Te Tiriti o Waitangi — a waka hourua
Te Ara Oranga Taiao is currently a project. It is becoming a Collective — a body that belongs to its members and collaborators rather than to a funder or a project team.
In April 2027 we will register as a manatōpū (incorporated society) under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022, and apply for charitable registration on top of that. In plain terms: Te Ara Oranga Taiao will be a legal entity in its own right, able to hold funds, employ people, enter agreements and advocate — with a constitution its members control.
We are doing this for practical reasons. A Collective with legal standing can hold funding for shared resources, provide long-term practical support to ohu, speak with one voice to government, and outlast any one project, funder or person.
The Collective is being built as a waka hourua, a double-hulled waka: two hulls, one course. Tāngata whenua and Tauiwi navigating together.
In practice this means Te Tiriti is written into the structure itself, not into a values statement. Taina McClutchie holds the role of Pou Whirinaki, supported by a kāhui rangahau — a group of tāngata whenua who guide the cultural dimensions of the kaupapa.
Exactly how this is expressed in the constitution is one of the questions being worked through this year.
Our Shared Foundational Understandings
Among the diverse ideas, philosophies and practices represented at the regional hui, the below points emerged. These reflect the shared underpinning values and considerations regarding tāngata, te taiao and hauora.
Humans are part of nature, not separate from it. This reciprocal relationship is essential for the health and wellbeing of both.
Cultural ways of knowing strongly influence how the relationship between tāngata, te taiao and hauora is conceptualised and embodied. In Aotearoa, Te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview) has a profound influence on how this relationship is understood.
Human wellbeing is closely linked to the wellbeing of the natural world. This reflects an interdependent relationship in which the wellbeing of people and te taiao influence one another.
Nature is for everyone, all generations. In particular, being active outside and developing a relationship with nature in children leads to a sense of belonging in the environment that continues throughout adulthood.
Humans are kaitiaki (guardians) of the land. When people have a stronger relationship with the land, their desire to practice kaitiakitanga (guardianship) is greater.
Nature offers us a blueprint for how society and organisations can function holistically and effectively. Following ecological systems as a guide for social structures will create sustainable entities.
The growing and provision of kai (food) is identified as a vital way to connect people to the land.
Nature-based environments are described as particularly supportive for diverse whaiora, ākonga (students) and those for whose needs are not met in mainstream urban environments.
Going outside naturally invites us to move our bodies, connect with other people and experience a range of other health benefits.