Hamilton Public Lecture

Waikato Intercultural Fund and The University of Waikato present ...

'Honouring Te Tiriti: Pathways to Social Cohesion in Aotearoa' by Nanaia Mahuta

Drawing on her extensive political experiences and a deep understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Nanaia will talk about how Indigenous approaches to unity and belonging can help knit an inclusive Aotearoa where the values of Te Tiriti guide contemporary governance and intercultural understanding.

You'll hear first-hand accounts of navigating structural change, implementing Māori representation in decision-making, and the critical role of anti-racism work in creating pathways to authentic social cohesion.

She will examine how Te Tiriti offers a unique framework for intercultural understanding, moving beyond superficial multiculturalism towards deep, meaningful relationships between tangata whenua and tangata tiriti.

Through compelling examples and personal reflections, Nanaia will illustrate how Te Tiriti provides not just a historical foundation for Aotearoa, but also a living blueprint for creating the inclusive and unified nation we aspire to become.

After the address, there may be an opportunity for an informal conversation in the foyer.

This public lecture will be held at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, starting at 5.45pm. Ticket scanning and an eftpos bar will be open from 5pm.

Free parking is available on campus via Gate 1 or 2b, Knighton Road, Hamilton from 4.30pm.

While this is a 'free' event, please register your attendance by clicking on the 'select tickets' button above and bring your eticket, with you on the evening to be scanned.

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Nanaia Mahuta is a māmā, mentor, strategic adviser, and community researcher with a strong commitment to global affairs and Indigenous diplomacy. With 27 years of experience in Parliament, she has championed Māori development, foreign affairs, and kaupapa that support resilient, sustainable, and enterprising whānau to thrive within their communities. As Aotearoa New Zealand’s first female Minister of Māori Development and the first wāhine to hold the Foreign Affairs portfolio, Nanaia instilled a values-based approach to governance at local, national and international levels.

Throughout her career, Nanaia has consistently created pathways for Māori to thrive, amplifying Indigenous success, prosperity, and wellbeing. As a Waikato-Maniapoto woman raised in her community, Nanaia draws on her experiences and values to advance kaupapa related to Māori development, Pacific partnerships, and Māori representation in governance and strategic decision-making. These enduring commitments reflect her deep belief in the power of Indigenous knowledge, leadership, and innovation to shape a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future.

The Waikato Intercultural Fund exists to financially support groups working to create a flourishing intercultural society, where everyone recognises and celebrates the diversity of humanity and the humanity of diversity.

This is an endowment fund open to public donations, created and held by Momentum Waikato Community Foundation and driven by a dedicated volunteer committee.

It aims to encourage and empower the people and communities of the Waikato to embrace and enact an intercultural worldview through day-to-day practice of open-minded inclusion and active opposition to racism. This includes connecting people of every culture, tradition and background in ways that create genuine, fruitful and lasting human relationships, that in turn catalyse a wider and more diverse sense of human community for everyone.

The Movement for Open Culture Aotearoa – MOCA – is the WIF’s ongoing marketing campaign for mobilising and fundraising for interculturalism and inclusion activities by both the WIF and the groups it funds.