Pictured above: Hinerangi Edwards, Council Chair of Ringa Hora, hosting a Tuia 2023 panel.
The countdown to Tuia 2024 is underway, with Māori leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators set to converge in Hamilton next week for the second annual event aimed at fostering intergenerational success within the Māori community and the billion-dollar Service sector.
Recent demographic changes reveal a transformative shift in New Zealand’s population, with nearly one million people identifying as Māori. Notably, Māori make up about 30 percent of the population under 25 years old. The Service sector is a vital component of the economy, contributing over $120 billion annually to the GDP—approximately 30 percent of the nation’s economic activity. Within this sector, an estimated 130,000 Māori, including around 7,000 Māori-owned businesses, generate over $14 billion in GDP.
Hosted by Ringa Hora, one of six industry-led workforce development councils, Tuia 2024 aims to ensure vocational education aligns with industry needs, empowering Māori business and iwi development through qualification development and skills leadership. The event will focus on the Māori economy, mobilising Māori businesses, and securing futures for mokopuna.
Ben Ngaia, Poumatua of Ringa Hora, says, “Tuia 2024 is an opportunity for attendees to celebrate the achievements of Māori, learn from our shared experiences, and mobilise for a prosperous future. We know vocational education plays an important part in building the skills of our future workforce to help our mokopuna achieve success.”
Attendees will be treated to a premium lineup of speakers, including Tahu Kukutai, Professor of Demography at the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis, and Tahana Tippet-Tapsell, General Manager of Culture and Legacy at Tūaropaki Trust, among others.
Keynote speaker Tahu Kukutai highlighted the significance of the event, “Our current data tells a powerful story of Māori resilience—today, with a population nearing one million, Māori are a thriving, youthful force in Aotearoa. With Māori comprising a growing share of those entering the workforce, the smart move is to plan for this future.”
Additionally, Ringa Hora will unveil their research, Tirohia ki Tua, which explores the substantial impact Māori have had on the Service sector and the success of Māori entrepreneurship rooted in Te Ao Māori values.
Camilla Karehana, Strategic Advisor Māori, expressed the importance of this research, saying, “As Māori, our potential within the Service sector is limitless, and Tirohia ki Tua offers an opportunity to reflect on our entrepreneurial legacy and envision the future we’re building for our mokopuna.”
