Kai Motuhake

About
 

Kai Motuhake is about restoring control of food systems to iwi, hapuu, and communities. It is grounded in tino rangatiratanga, maatauranga Maaori, and the collective right to grow, access, and share nutritious kai in ways that honour whakapapa and place.  Kai Motuhake is not charity. It is self-determination, dignity, and long-term resilience.

 

The kaupapa supports māra kai, seed saving, land access, food education, and the restoration of mahinga kai practices, while uplifting mana whenua authority and leadership.

 

Our role as Tangata Tiriti is to support, not lead. Kai Motuhake uplifts mana whenua authority and aspirations, creating pathways for communities to shape their own food futures.

 

Why it matters

 

Food is whakapapa. When kai systems are strong, so are people, whenua, and ecosystems. Kai Motuhake builds food sovereignty, strengthens community resilience, supports biodiversity, and reduces climate emissions through local production.

Kai Motuhake is about the freedom to feed ourselves well, on our own terms.

 

What you can do

 

• Support or join a local māra kai or marae garden

• Grow and share kai in your neighbourhood

• Learn seed saving and soil‑building skills

• Support hapū‑led land and kai projects

• Advocate for policies that enable community food sovereignty

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Together, we can build a Waikato where kai systems are locally governed, culturally grounded, climate-resilient, and shaped by the people who call this place home.