Ko Te Arawa he waka, he iwi kaore e kirimata nei ona korero,
Engari ngoto atu ki te wāhi hōhonu haere ai.
Paora Te Hurihanganui is of the tribal nation of Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa descent. Previously, he was CEO of Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa, the first Iwi Sports mandated trust for 16 years. Also, Paora led the regional Whānau Resilience Nine provider family harm collective response for Te Arawa and Tūwharetoa.
Presently, Paora is the CEO of Te Arawa Whānau Ora and is close to completing his PhD at Wellington School of Health, Victoria University.
Paora is recognised for his contributions to revitalising ancestral and cultural pursuits, including a diverse background in Māori arts, traditional healing, traditional Waka, and ancestral games. Paora has been a major influence in including Aotearoa at the Pacific Ancestral Games. It has been pivotal in promoting the World Ancestral Games to be held in Aotearoa in the future.
Paora firmly believes in using traditional sites of significance as authentic connections for positive individual and collective transformation and Whakapapa as pathways to optimum health and well-being. He has designed and delivered personal and collective developmental training in whakapapa, hauora and cultural connections nationally and internationally.
He has been a successful Kapa Haka exponent performing internationally and in 6 Te Matatini finals, winning a national title in 1996 with Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Paora is the current kaihautu of the Te Arawa waka taua. In 2015, Paora received a New Zealander of the Year award for innovation.
Paora is a national trainer in PATH Facilitation and a certified TetraMap Facilitator and weaves whakaaro Māori through his delivery in all contexts.
Paora's current areas of focus and alignment are Ancestral Profiling, Reverse Innovation, Systems Thinking, Systems Dynamics, Maramataka, Atua Māori, Aspirational Strategic Planning, Environmental Centred Meta-Leadership, Relationship Management and Mentorship.
Links:
Dr Ihirangi Heke and Kataraina Pipi
