Whakapapa in Action: From Aotearoa’s Lakes to Global Stages
In this fifth edition from Mapping the Incorporation of Te Ao Māori in the Freshwater Biosecurity System, we spotlight Harina Rupapera, a kaitiaki whose mahi uplifts rangatahi and restores the relationship between whakapapa and wai.
We also celebrate MEA Director Kaye-Maree Dunn, who is taking Indigenous leadership to the world, first at the YBLI Summit in Vietnam this July, and then to the global stage at Expo 2025 Osaka this August.
From grassroots restoration to global collaboration, this issue is all about legacy, leadership, and the future of kaitiakitanga.
MEA Director Kaye-Maree Heads to Vietnam and Osaka
This season, MEA Director Kaye-Maree Dunn continues to champion Indigenous innovation and leadership on the world stage.
In July, she joins the Young Business Leaders Initiative (YBLI) Summit in Vietnam, connecting with Asia-Pacific leaders to explore trade, tech, and cultural exchange. Read more in the official media release.
In August, she travels to Expo 2025 Osaka as part of Te Aratini, a global Indigenous platform spotlighting kaupapa Māori approaches to business, sustainability, and digital futures.
These events are powerful opportunities to amplify Māori voices, foster global partnerships, and shape the future of Indigenous enterprise.
Harina Rupapera: Grounded in Whakapapa, Growing Kaitiaki Futures
Raised on the marae but only later called into the rhythms of the taiao, Harina Rupapera of wai and whakapapa. Now a biosecurity officer with Te Arawa Lakes Trust and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Harina’s journey is shaped by deep learning, wānanga with tohunga, harvesting whale species, and working alongside leading maramataka practitioners like Rereata Makiha and the late Davina Thompson.
With a Master’s in Applied Indigenous Knowledge and a PhD in progress on kūmara sovereignty, Harina’s mahi sits at the intersection of tradition and innovation.
Her guiding principle?
“Kaitiaki, being a guardian, is thing you’re born into. It’s a responsibility tied to our whakapapa.”
Harina now leads taiohi-focused Koaro restoration work, bringing mātauranga Māori to the heart of freshwater management. Her vision is unapologetically intergenerational: caring for te taiao to ensure her mokopuna inherit clean waterways and the right to protect them, too.
“If we’re enabled to practise our knowledge, without interruption, it’ll change everything. We have the mana.”
Harina’s Takeaways for Freshwater Biosecurity:
🌊Empower local kaitiaki, especially rangatahi, with real resources and leadership opportunities.
🌊Reconnect whānau with their whenua and wai to activate long-term kaitiakitanga.
🌊Adopt taiao-first policies that honour whakapapa, not just compliance.
Explore the Kaupapa
Discover more about Snow’s leadership and the kaupapa behind his mahi.
Visit the MEA website or download the report from the DOC website here:
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