Tikanga Talks 2026

E hika mā! What an evening!

What if the biggest thing missing in business right now isn’t a strategy, a plan, or a new tool, but room to wānanga?

On Wednesday 22th July, He Toronga Pakihi ki Taranaki partnered with Reo Kōrero to host Tikanga Talks, four hours of kōrero on tikanga, Te Tiriti, maramataka, and what it means to lead as Māori in business. No pitch decks. No KPIs. Just space to sit together and wānanga the things that genuinely shape how we lead.

And people felt it.

Tikanga Talks isn’t a lecture or a pitch night. It’s a space to challenge thinking, share ideas, and strengthen relationships through a Māori lens. A business network that only transacts misses the chance to actually understand each other. One that wānanga builds trust that outlasts any single deal.

And none of it happens by accident. What feels effortless in the room is the result of huge planning, intention, and manaakitanga behind the scenes.
What stood out most for me wasn’t one speaker or one moment. It was the sense that something real is building in Taranaki. A hapori that keeps choosing to come together like this is telling us exactly where things are heading.

That’s the power of wānanga: not the polish of one evening, but the compounding effect of people who keep gathering around what matters.

WHAT WAS TIKANGA TALKS?

Tikanga Talks | Celebrate Puanga with five leading voices in te ao Māori

What is tikanga-led leadership, and what does it actually look like in practice?

Grow business understanding and confidence in Te Ao Maori – an intensive, thought-provoking evening with some of the most respected Māori leaders, thinkers, and changemakers in Aotearoa. 
Each speaker has just 30 minutes to deliver a masterclass on what it takes to drive real impact in Aotearoa, drawn from their lived experience. Together, they will dissect how to navigate the complex issues affecting te ao Māori today – whether in business, across iwi and hapū, or within whānau.
Brought to you by He Toronga Pakihi ki Taranaki and Reo Kōrero (Ataarangi ONLINE), and supported by the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, this forum is designed to challenge your thinking. It is an exclusive opportunity to connect with professionals committed to leading change within their businesses and communities, and to shape the future for Māori and non-Māori alike.
Hosted in Ngāmotu / New Plymouth to mark the season of Puanga, you can be with us in the room or join from anywhere in the world via our livestream.
The dialogue starts here. The practical application extends far beyond our region. 

Dr Ruakere Hond | globally recognised expert in indigenous language revitalisation, a pou of Te Ataarangi, and an esteemed leader within Taranaki.
Professor Rangi Matamua | the visionary scholar behind the Matariki movement, who has revolutionised our understanding of mātauranga Māori.
Riana Te Ngahue | a Māori lawyer and leading digital influencer known for demystifying complex political issues for all audiences.
Te Aorangi Dillon | a dynamic leader renowned for her future-focused, tikanga-led approach to driving real-world impact for iwi.
Professor Peter Adds | a distinguished academic and highly sought-after Te Tiriti o Waitangi educator across both government and the private sector.
When: 22 July 2026, 5:00pm – 9:30pm
Where: In-person at TSB Showplace, Ngāmotu / New Plymouthand Online via Livestream
🌐 Find out more about Tikanga Talks 👉🏽 www.reokorero.com/tikangatalks

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