He Kākano Aotearoa Variome Launch 2025
Article
Aotearoa is marking a major milestone in Hauora Māori and global Indigenous health research with the launch of He Kākano –the Aotearoa Māori Variome Resource.
This powerful taonga represents years of collaborative mahi with over 1,000 Māori from across the motu, who have generously contributed their genome sequences as a takoha—a gift of immense value to future generations.
This hui celebrates the official unveiling of He Kākano, a puna of genetic variation that reflects the diverse whakapapa of Māoridom. It is the first Indigenous-led genomic reference resource of its kind—not only in Aotearoa, but anywhere in the world.
Under the kaitiakitanga of a dedicated rōpū of Māori experts in genomics and ethics, He Kākano will make a transformative impact on genetic medicine in Aotearoa. It has been created to ensure that genomic healthcare is safer, more accurate, and more precise forMāori.
… “A lot of work in genetic medicine today involves diagnosing rare genetic conditions” … (Prof Stephen Robertson, 2025). “Often, variants found in Māori patients appear rare when compared to global databases from Europe, America or Asia. But when we look within He Kākano, we can see they are actually common among Māori. That changes everything.”
This insight has already improved clinical outcomes for hundreds of Māori. Doctors can now more confidently rule out genetic variants that may have previously been misclassified as harmful. In doing so, they help whānau avoid unnecessary testing, misdiagnosis, and associated distress or risk.
A striking example involved a gene variant associated with serious heart conditions overseas. Māori patients with this variant were initially flagged as high risk. But analysis within He Kākano showed that 8 in every 100 Māori carry this same variant—far too common to be the likely cause of the disease in this context.
This discovery prevented misdiagnosis for these individuals and unnecessary screening of their wider whānau.
This hui is a moment to acknowledge there markable kaupapa behind He Kākano, honour those who contributed, and look ahead to its potential to transform Māori health. From genomics to clinical application, ethics to equity, this resource demonstrates what is possible when science is guided by tikanga Māori and the generosity of our communities.
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