Haerenga Whakamua! Moving Forward Together

We would appreciate you circulating this flyer

8 November 9:00am - 12:30noon

Session description
Be inspired by Māori innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership in the ICT space. This is a truly unique opportunity to engage with a range of Māori ICT leaders (young and not so young) who will share their local and international journey’s, showcasing their collective talents. Hosted by Peter-Lucas Jones, this is a forum you won't want to miss. Nau mai haere mai - all welcome!

9:00    Opening karakia                    Antony Royal

9:10      Scene setting                         Peter-Lucas Jones

                                                                 Te Aupōuri, Ngāi Takoto, Te Rārawa and Ngāti Kahu

                                                                 As General Manager of Te Hiku Media and a native speaker of te reo Māori, Peter-Lucas has                                                                         significant expertise in the development of digital media platforms and a strong understanding                                                                   of the needs of youth and Māori language speaking audiences. He is an award-winning                                                                                   broadcaster and has gained recognition with Te Hiku Media at recent National Māori Radio                                                                           Awards. Peter-Lucas is a current Board member for Māori TV, an appointee to the Arts Council                                                                       of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa and served as a Treaty Negotiator for Te Aupōuri.

9:15      Whakawhanaungatana        An interactive networking activity (bring your business cards)

9:45     Presentation                           Maru Nihoniho | Metia Ltd | Thinking outside of the Xbox

                                                                 Whānau A Apanui, Ngati Porou, Ngai Tahu

                                                                 Maru Nihoniho is the managing director, game producer and designer at Metia Interactive, an                                                                       award-winning game design studio. Maru is the game designer behind the development of                                                                           SPARX, an interactive game based on cognitive behavioural therapy, designed to help young                                                                         rangatahi manage their depression. SPARX was placed into a nationwide clinical trial and was                                                                     reviewed by the British Medical Journal. The game was a success and went on to win two                                                                               international awards, a United Nations World Summit Award and a UNESCO Netexplo Award.                                                                     In 2016 Maru was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit for her work in gaming and mental                                                                       health, and recently awarded the Innovator of the Year in 2017 MCV Pacific Women in Games                                                                         Awards from Xbox. She is currently studying for her Masters Degree in Technological Futures                                                                       through Tech Futures Lab, working on a project called Takaro, an interactive platform to teach                                                                       Rangatahi to strengthen spatial awareness skills and strategies that will build confidence in                                                                         STEM.

                                                                 Presentation description:

                                                                 Educating the next generation through gaming.  Can gaming provide pathways for rangatahi to                                                                   further their education?  If so, how much can a game that teaches coding concepts and systems                                                                   thinking result in rangatahi actively participating in and with technology?    

                                                                 This presentation will take you through some of the games Maru has developed over the last 14                                                                   years with insights into what drives the types of games that her and her team create at Metia                                                                       Interactive. From pick up and play casual games through to e-therapy that give rangatahi the                                                                         learning tools to manage depression.

10:00   Presentation                          Hori Mataki | Ariki Creative | Waihiko

                                                                Whanau-a-Apanui, Ngati Porou, Ngai Tahu, Ngati Kauwhata                                                                                                                                  
                                                                 Hori was born and raised on the east side of Ōtautahi. In 2007 he combined a passion for                                                                               gaming, illustration, whakairo and storytelling into a unique business called Ariki Creative.                                                                             Since then, he has built a team of talented designers, animators, videographers, illustrators and                                                                   web developers who provide services to various companies, non-profits, government and iwi                                                                       organisations. Funded through Ka Hao  (Māori ICT funds) in 2017, Ariki Creative are                                                                                           collaborating with Maui Studios and Manu Media to build Te Ao Hangarau, an incubator of                                                                           Māori digital creative excellence, which offers digital apprenticeships, hosts digi-wananga and                                                                     looks to inspire rangatahi through new techkanga resources.

                                                                 Presentation description:

                                                                 Funded through Ka Hao  (Māori ICT funds) in 2017, Ariki Creative are collaborating with Maui                                                                         Studios and Manu Media to build Te Ao Hangarau, an incubator of Māori digital creative                                                                                 excellence, which offers digital apprenticeships, hosts digi-wananga and looks to inspire                                                                               rangatahi through new techkanga resources.

10:15   Presentation                            Dr Johnson Witehira, Artist / Tikanga Māori Design Consultant

                                                                 Tamahaki (Ngāti Hinekura), Ngā Puhi (Ngai-tū- te-auru), Ngāti Haua

                                                                 Presentation description:

                                                                 
                                                                 Johnson is recognised as a leading expert on contemporary Māori design. As a researcher,                                                                             artist, designer and educator Johnson is developing new Māori-centred design thinking                                                                                 methodologies and programmes. As an innovator in reinterpreting traditional Māori design                                                                           patterns and traditions to be relevant for modern day experiences, Johnson consults to a                                                                               number of public sector and enterprise organisations to bring authenticity and integrity to their                                                                   customer touchpoints. He has created these deep cultural
                                                                 connections for clients including Wellington City Council, Māori Television, Auckland Council,                                                                       Auckland International Airport, The New Zealand Transport Authority and Chorus.
                                                                 At Auckland’s Unitec Johnson transformed their Art and Design programme, incorporating                                                                             tikanga and matauranga Māori into the core of their design philosophy. This practice is now                                                                           leading a kaupapa Māori design following in the service design industry in New Zealand.                                                                               Recently at AUT, Johnson led the Graphic Design pathway where he continues to develop bi-                                                                         cultural and decolonised approaches to design, design history and design education.
                                                                 Johnson’s design achievements include showcasing Māori design in the takeover of New York’s                                                                   Times Square, art exhibitions at top Galleries throughout New Zealand, Germany and America,                                                                     commissions by international toy maker Uncle Goose to create a line of Māori alphabet blocks                                                                     for global sale and the highly successful sale of his limited edition prints from his “Ko Aotearoa                                                                     Tēnei: this is New Zealand” exhibition. His 2D projected video artwork “Maoriland Adventure”                                                                       will also soon be included in an exhibition in Toronto.

10:30  MORNING TEA                        Refreshments provided

10:45  Panel                                        Te Tēpu | Four panelists offering diverse perspectives on the digital future for Māori

11:15    Presentation                            Mike Taitoko | Waiora Pacfic Ltd

                                                                 Ngāti Maniapoto

                                                                 Mike is the co-founder and Managing Director of a data technology company, Waiora Pacific.                                                                       Waiora Pacific’s Takiwa platform and applications are designed to solve some of our most                                                                             challenging problems such as health, housing and education outcomes particularly for Māori, as                                                                   well as freshwater quality across Aotearoa through visualising big data.

                                                                 Mike is also a leading advisor on Māori economic development and advises iwi organisations                                                                       as well as central and local government, particularly in the field of data-driven policies and                                                                           investment.  He is also a Director on a number of companies including Auckland Tourism Events                                                                   and Economic Development (ATEED), Mercury, Cognition Education and the Committee for                                                                           Auckland.   

                                                             Presentation description:

                                                                 Every day the digital world opens up new ways for Māori and other indigenous nations to be                                                                       way-finders again and decide for themselves what their futures can and will look like.  Easier                                                                         access to data, cloud-based analytics and digital learning means Māori no longer need to rely                                                                     on government agencies to determine their future for them.  Through the use of technology, we                                                                   can now put the right information back into the hands of iwi and Māori to create pathways for                                                                       self- determination.  Iwi and Māori can create their own futures based on the truth through their                                                                   eyes, rather than the agencies.

                                                                 This presentation will show why this is important for self-determination and also gives practical                                                                   examples on how iwi and Māori can lead change for the better through digital solutions.

11:30   Presentation                            Dougal Stott, Janie Tito & Anna-Marie Vos | Enspiral Dev Academy | Manu Innovations &                                                                   Getting rangatahi into Digital Technology    

                                                                 Dougal Stott - Ko Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, rātou Ko Ngāpuhi ōku iwi.

                                                                 Originally from a teaching background, Dougal has worked across the education sector                                                                                 predominantly in Māori student achievement and transition. For the past 4 years he has been                                                                       working as a freelance graphic designer and videographer for Moana Creative, which he co-                                                                         founded with his wife Carolyn. They are also blessed with 5 amazing tamariki!

                                                                 Dougal’s role primarily sits within the teaching unit providing pastoral care for Phase 0                                                                                   recipients of the Te Ururangi Māori scholarship. He also contributes to the business unit                                                                                  supporting organisational culture and iwi-industry relationships.

                                                             Presentation description:  

                                                                 Enspiral Dev Academy (EDA) is a private education provider focusing on
                                                                 attracting and training exceptional talent for the ICT sector. EDA is a social
                                                                 enterprise. It exists to achieve 4 primary goals as well as being self
                                                                 sustaining.

                                                                 The 4 goals are:

                                                                 1-Tech being the biggest exporter in Aotearoa
                                                                 2- Demographic parity represented in ICT as seen in Aotearoa with a
                                                                      particular focus on increasing Māori and women participation.
                                                                 3- Regional participation and representation in ICT
                                                                 4- The disruption and transformation of education to adequately serve both
                                                                      rangatahi and career changers.
 

                                                                 Our flagship product is an intensive 9 week web development
                                                                 boot camp. Students learn a wide set of skills to prepare them for a
                                                                 commercial software development role. EDA is known for its ability to develop
                                                                 the whole person focusing on both hard skills (technical coding, logic,
                                                                 algorithms, etc) and soft skills (team, motivation, negotiation, empathy,
                                                                 communication, leadership, etc).

                                                                                                                                                      
                                                              Janie Tito, Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Whātua

                                                             Presentation description:

                                                                 I discovered a love of coding while teaching Digital Technology in secondary schools, and                                                                             wanted to be creating and learning for myself so  enrolled in Enspiral Dev Academy in 2016.                                                                         This year I started a software dev company with two other women called 'Manu'. We aim to                                                                           create digital tools to help people and businesses doing good things in our communities.  I live                                                                     in Wellington with my two tamāhine.                                                             

                                                             I will showcase some of our projects this year, which include a te reo Māori web app for                                                                                   children and an election chatbot.  I will share my whakaaro on our education system - the low                                                                       number of  Māori youth taking Digital Technology at school and some of the barriers I see                                                                             stopping rangatahi entering the IT industry.

11:45    Presentation                           Jesse Armstrong | Māhuki, Te Papa Innovation Hub | Ethnocultural Empathy

                                                                 Ngatihine, Tainui

                                                                 Jesse was born and raised in Papakura, South Auckland with whakapapa to
                                                                 both Ngatihine and Tainui. He studied entrepreneurship overseas at Brigham
                                                                 Young University in Provo Utah then moved back to Aotearoa in pursuit of
                                                                 new business opportunities. Currently he is the CEO of Vaka Interactiv, a
                                                                 technology start-up based in Wellington who is developing interactive story
                                                                 telling technology for the global museum sector. He and his team are working
                                                                 in the Mahuki innovation hub hosted by Te Papa Tongarewa.

                                                                 Presentation description:

                                                                  In the Museum sector, technology can be used to enable the connection of people to culture.                                                                        The outcome of this connection is ‘ethnocultural empathy’ - the ability to understand a culture                                                                      from the culture’s perspective. In this presentation we will explore examples of how                                                                                        technology is used in creating this connection and understand why technology is needed in                                                                          helping people to understand culture from the cultures perspective.

12:00   Presentation                           Nikora Ngaropo | Motion and Design Ltd | He Rangatahi Manawatiti

                                                                 Te Rarawa, Tuhoe, Ngāti Kahungungu, Ngāti Porou 

                                                                 My journey, influences, passion and being Māori. How a dream, a goal, a wanting to leave a                                                                         legacy and taking and creating the opportunity to influence the next generation of animators,                                                                       creators and designers. Young Animators is a thought come to life, to nuture creativity,                                                                                   innovation in our rangatahi in an emerging industry of digital education. Inclusive of the                                                                                 challenges we've met along the way, it's been AWESOME.

12:15   Presentation                            Peter-Lucas Jones & Keoni Mahelona | Te Hiku Media | Kōrero Māori

                                                                Te Aupōuri, Ngāi Takoto, Te Rarawa and Ngati Kahu

                                                                Te Hiku are creating natural language processing tools that enable computers to listen to and                                                                       speak Māori. These emerging voice recognition technologies will be used to innovate and grow                                                                   digital access and use of te reo Māori. Te Hiku Media has thousands of hours of high quality te                                                                     reo Māori content in its Whare Kōrero,an online digital platform. We see a future where we                                                                           don't just host content; in addition, we provide enhanced access to Māori content to further                                                                           promote, preserve, and raise the profile of te reo Māori. In order to achieve this vision, we                                                                             need these language tools. Natural language processing and dictation will play a major role in                                                                     future digital technologies, and it's important that te reo Māori is a part of those emerging                                                                             industries. To do that, we need to take the initiative to collect te reo Māori corpora and apply                                                                       machine learning algorithms to train computers to understand te reo Māori.

12:30   Wrap up & closing karakia