MOTAT Staff and Board Join Ngati Whatua for Powhiri

3 March 2014

MOTAT Staff and Board Join Ngati Whatua for Powhiri

On 26 February staff, volunteers and board members from the Museum of Transport and Technology joined local iwi Ngati Whatua for a Powhiri, symbolising a new era in the Museum’s future direction. MOTAT will shortly unveil a new five year strategic plan with a key focus to build a meaningful and mutually beneficial relationship with local Maori.

MOTAT CEO Mr Michael Frawley says “We are very excited and proud to be working with local iwi and would like to incorporate and develop Maori knowledge, wisdom and views so they can be passed on to the MOTAT team and visitors in a positive way.”

The new strategic plan was developed with one key guiding principle in mind, a Maori proverb "hapaitia te ara tika pumau ai te rangatiratanga mo nga uri whakatipu" - “foster the pathway of knowledge to strength, independence and growth for future generations.”

MOTAT has already been working with Ngati Whatua over the past year and continue to identify opportunities for iwi to be involved in promoting Maori culture and heritage within the museum and thus enhancing the visitor experience. “This is the beginning of a new stage in the journey the museum is about to undertake and is very much a part of our desire to build mutually beneficial relationships with local cultural and heritage organisations” says Mr Frawley.

“MOTAT is in a unique position whereby we can increase the museum-wide understanding of Maori protocols as they relate to our collections, the MOTAT team and visitors.”

Over the coming year MOTAT is planning to form a Maori Advisory Committee and commence the development of a Maori Partnership Strategy that will allow for a more integrated approach with the Museum’s vision and on-going strategy.

ENDS

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