Te Moana Nui a Kiwa in Action: Māori and Pacific Collectives Build a Shared Future
At MPHS Hub West, two powerful collectives came together for deeply meaningful talanoa that are now shaping a new chapter for West Auckland. The West Auckland Māori Thought Leadership Collective and the Le Moana West Collective met with open hearts and open minds, creating a space grounded in whakawhanaungatanga, shared whakapapa, and a collective desire to uplift their people.
In the first hui, Māori thought leaders traced the journey of their Collective - the whakapapa that formed it, the voices that nourished it, and the vision they hold for the next five years. Their kōrero honoured those who came before them and acknowledged the responsibility carried by those pursuing higher learning and research. Leadership, they reminded the room, has always been part of Māori identity: a commitment to service, to protecting community, and to ensuring that the stories of their people are carried forward with dignity. As one member shared, “We do this better, when we do this together,” capturing the spirit that wrapped around everyone present.
The follow-up hui, hosted by the Le Moana West Collective, offered an equally moving window into the Pacific heartbeat of West Auckland. Based at T.Y.M.S facilities, Le Moana shared who they are, the communities they walk alongside, and the many projects they lead - each one grounded in culture, service, and transformative change. Their stories painted a clear picture of the vibrancy, resilience, and innovation of Pacific communities, and how deeply connected they are to the wellbeing of West Auckland as a whole.
When both Collectives finally sat together in talanoa, the energy shifted from reflection to possibility. Ideas emerged naturally, not from strategy documents, but from relationship - from the realisation that Māori and Pacific communities have always been linked through land, ocean, values, and ancestral wisdom. As kōrero moved around the room, one theme arose again and again: the need to strengthen civic education and leadership pathways for young people. Both groups recognised that their rangatahi and tamaiki already possess leadership potential, but require tools, spaces, and support systems that honour who they are culturally, spiritually, and politically.
The deeper the conversation went, the clearer it became that the greatest opportunities ahead lie in activating Māori and Pacific knowledge together. Not in parallel, but in genuine partnership - a woven approach where Māori sovereignty and Pacific self-determination stand side by side, creating pathways that uplift the whole community. The vision forming in the room was not just about programmes or funding; it was about building a future shaped by collective identity, shared responsibility, and a belief that transformation happens when relationships lead the way.
Across both hui, there was a strong sense that this is only the beginning. The tri-collective partnership iswas also discussed as it is currently being explored between the West Auckland Māori Thought Leadership Collective, Le Moana West Collective, and West Auckland Together Collective - signalling a shift toward long-term collaboration rooted in legacy, culture, and community-led systems change.
The excitement for what could be created together was unmistakable. Māori and Pacific leaders spoke of dreams for youth leadership hubs, civic education workshops, co-designed community solutions, and spaces where indigenous governance principles can guide the challenges of today. The room felt alive with connection - Māori and Pacific voices building a vision that neither could realise alone, but that becomes entirely possible when they stand together as Te Moana Nui a Kiwa.
And now, both Collectives are ready to activate it - not just for themselves, but for the generations who will follow. Together, they are imagining a West Auckland where indigenous leadership is the norm, where youth are empowered to shape the world around them, and where community transformation is carried by the strength of many, not the efforts of a few. This is the beginning of something bigger - a shared movement grounded in unity, guided by whakapapa, and strengthened by the belief that when Māori and Pacific rise together, the whole community rises higher.
