Whare tupuna are at the beating heart of our Māori communities. They are the symbolic body of our ancestors. They are alive with meaning and rich with cultural heritage. They connect with the past, present, and future.

The whare tupuna itself offers an intergenerational framework for governance and leadership.

Below we introduce ‘Te Whare Hukahuka’ – a governance framework that links eight dimensions of effective Māori governance to the whare tupuna – reconceptualising governance as a practice of elevating the mana of a kaupapa – and that weaves together the board’s responsibilities for effective strategy and structures, efficient delivery and decision-making, and managing risk and relationships.