The Go Eco Kai Symposium is a two-day wānanga that brings people together so that we can move beyond the narrative of kai scarcity and into the reality of the abundance of food that exists within our whenua, our waters, and our communities.
 

The focus is simple but powerful.

 

How do we strengthen pathways to kai — in ways that are local, practical, and grounded in mātauranga?

​

DAY ONE - MAY 20
The Verandah Function Centre, Hamilton Lake Domain, Hamilton
9am - 4.30pm

The first day focuses on grounding everyone in the kaupapa. We begin with whakawhanaungatanga and setting the intention for the wānanga — acknowledging both the challenges within our current food system and the abundance that exists when we look to whenua, wai, and community. Then we move into a full day of kōrero:

​

SPEAKERS

​

​11am - Keynote address
Lionel Hotene & Valerie Teraitua, from Papatuāunuku Kokiri Marae, will talk about reclaiming kai sovereignty through indigenous systems. 

​

11.30am - He Rourou Rangahau/What the research says
Madeline Shelling - Te Waha o Rerekohu: Developing a Māori Kai Assessment Tool

Rebekah Graham - Food Insecurity, hardship, and growing a garden

​

1pm - He Rourou Kai/Feeding all our People
Natasha Willison & Paula Ormsby - The Serve 

Tara Moala, Natalie Russell, Kelly O’Hara - Te Tāpui Atawhai/Auckland City Mission

​

2pm - He Rourou Hapori/Localised Kai Systems

Gretta Carney - Mai Kai 

Solis Norton - Food Systems, Pest Management & Community Initiatives

​

3pm - He Rourou Maara/Growing Kai
Pounamu Skelton - Tātai Tangata ki te Whenua

Gina-lee Duncan - Kōanga Kai

Te Rangikaheke Kiripatea - Kai Rotorua & Kumara

​

​​​DAY TWO - MAY 21
Hukanui Marae, Gordonton
9am-4.30pm

WORKSHOPS

Food Forest Kōrero - Ngaio Cowell, Te Rangikaheke Kiripatea

Butchery (knife skills & cuts of meat) - Musa Taukiri
He Mana tō te Kai (Planting micro greens) - Ngapuna Maaka from Para Kore
Indigenous Food Security Assessment - Madeline Shelling
Mana Kākano (Seed saving banks and libraries) - Te Aroha Drummond, Moko Morris
Composting (Carbon cycling system of composting) - Tim Bowater, Paul Murray
Making Space for Thriving Local Food Systems within the Regulatory and Legal Framework - Gretta Carney
Food Systems, Pest Management & Community Initiatives - Solis Norton

​​