Tipu Mātoro ki te Ao
Article
Tipu Mātoro – drawn from the whakataukī “Tipu Mātoro ki te Ao” – is a kaupapa grounded in growth, discovery, and potential. Led by the Te Rangawairua o Paratene Ngata Centre of Excellence (CoE) at Ngāti Porou Oranga, and delivered in partnership with Moko Foundation and Nōna Te Ao, the programme is supported and funded by the Maurice Wilkins Centre. Together, this collective brings community, research, and education into a single, integrated approach—opening pathways for rangatahi across Ngati Porou and te Tairāwhiti to explore hauora, science, and future opportunities.
At its heart, Tipu Mātoro challenges rangatahi to think differently about health and science—not as distant or complex fields, but as knowledge systems deeply connected to identity, whakapapa, and lived experience.
Facilitators Kaneihana Dewes and Jordon Lima guide tauira through the concept of precision medicine—understanding how treatment can be tailored to the individual, based on their genetics, environment, and lived experience.
Rather than presenting this as a new or foreign idea, the programme reframes it through a Māori lens:
Through this, rangatahi begin to see that what science calls “genomics” is not new—it reflects knowledge systems already embedded within pepeha, whakapapa, and connection to whenua.
Tipu Mātoro brings STEM learning to life through practical, hands-on wānanga. One of the standout activities sees tauira extracting DNA from kūmara—a powerful way to make science visible and relevant.
This process is not just technical, but cultural:
These practices reinforce that science and tikanga are not separate—they exist alongside each other, each strengthening the other.
The programme has already connected with kura across the Coast and was first launched on Tuesday 28th April 2026 at Te Kura Kaupapa o Kawakawa Mai Tawhiti (Wharekahika), and was also held at Te Waha o Rerekohu School (Te Araroa), and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiū (Ruatōrea).
Upcoming wānanga will also bring together senior tauira (Years 11–13) from:
Each wānanga hosts around 30 rangatahi, creating an environment where learning is interactive, relational, and grounded in identity.
Learning in Te Ao Māori, For Te Ao Māori
For many tauira, particularly in kura kaupapa Māori, the experience of learning complex scientific concepts entirely in te reo Māori has been transformative.
With strong whakapapa connections to the kura and deep fluency in te reo, Kaneihana Dewes brings a level of familiarity and trust that allows tauira to engage more deeply. Concepts like pharmacogenomics—initially unfamiliar—quickly become accessible when delivered in ways that connect to lived experience and cultural understanding.
The impact of Tipu Mātoro is seen in the confidence of rangatahi as they move from uncertainty to understanding. What begins as unfamiliar language becomes knowledge they recognise as already their own.
The most powerful takeaway is simple, yet profound: Our tīpuna were scientists—and we are scientists.
Tipu Mātoro is a reflection of what becomes possible when iwi-led leadership, community partnership, and national research support come together. It affirms that the future of health and science is not something to be reached for—it already exists within our people, waiting to be recognised, nurtured, and grown.
University visits and targeted wānanga exploring future pathways in genomics and health sciences also form a key part of the programme, helping rangatahi to see clear and achievable connections between their learning and potential careers.
