Māori businesses in Wānaka are being invited to attend a dedicated Māori business hui for the area, to be held next week.

Te Kupeka Umaka Māori ki Araiteuru (KUMA), the Māori business network for the Otago/Southland region, is hosting the event, which seeks to connect with and engage Māori businesses in Wānaka, and surrounding areas including Tāhuna (Queenstown).

Following a successful hui in Tāhuna last November, KUMA wanted to hold another event in Wānaka to find out what local whānau businesses need and as well as to network and share ideas, KUMA tumuaki (chair) Claire Porima says.

“The purpose of these hui is to find out how we can support our whānau connections and collectively strengthen our businesses,” she says. “We want to initiate a conversation around what support and services we need in our region to sustain a thriving Māori business community.

“KUMA’s vision is captured in the whakatauki ‘Kia tipua tahi ai’ (let us grow together), – and our regional hui are central to our kaupapa.”

The Wānaka hui will be held on Wednesday May 4, from 6-7.30pm, at the Scope Media office on 37 Reece Cres. Kai and light refreshments will be provided.

“The Wānaka hui will be an important event because it’s been a long time since anything of this nature for local Māori businesses has been held here before,” KUMA board member Celia Crosbie (Kai Tahu) says. “A lot of businesses in Wānaka may identify as Māori but don’t really know who to reach out to for support or whanaungatanga. This will be the start of our korero together.”

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