Work With
Dr. Awanui
This is a place to fill your kete with knowledge, guidance, and tools to support your reo Māori journey. Whether you are an individual, whānau, or organisation, each offering is designed to meet you where you are and help you carry what you need to create meaningful change.
FILL YOUR KETE
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FILL YOUR KETE ✦
RAUTAKI REO MĀORI
Many organisations, kura and workplaces want to embrace te reo Māori but feel unsure about how to begin or sustain their efforts. This offering is about creating real, practical reo change in the spaces that matter most. Together, we’ll design strategies that are authentic, achievable, and transformational.
This service supports you to:
Create transformational reo Māori change in your kāinga, kura, marae, or wāhi mahi (workplace).
Learn from stories, successes, and collective experiences.
Build confidence to embed reo Māori into everyday practice.
Inclusions:
Organisational workshops and training (based on mātāpono of manaakitanga).
Policy and programme design support for educators and leaders.
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Māori staff struggling to reconcile Māori cultural identity with workplace expectations.
Organisations treating Te Tiriti as compliance instead of partnership.
Racism and lack of power-sharing in Pākehā-dominant environments.
Pākehā staff unsure of how to engage meaningfully as allies
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Wānanga, Workshops & Training: Half-day or full-day sessions addressing identity, allyship, and reo integration. Includes facilitation that embedded in our mātāpono. Depending on the workshops, these will also include a colleague who will co-facilitate.
Presentations: Keynotes and tailored talks addressing challenges and opportunities for Māori and Pākehā staff to build workplaces that are culturally affirming.
Consultation: Work with leadership and management to embed Māori perspectives into policy and practice.
Mentoring & Coaching: Ongoing support for Māori staff navigating identity-related challenges and leadership growth.
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Participants leave these workshops feeling empowered to bring their full selves to work, knowing their identity and perspectives are valued. Māori staff often describe a renewed sense of confidence in navigating their cultural identity within workplace settings, while Pākehā staff walk away more informed about the complexities of allyship and their responsibilities as Treaty partners. Together, teams leave feeling supported, equipped with practical tools, shared language, and a deeper understanding of how to create workplaces that are inclusive, respectful, and committed to meaningful reo Māori growth.
Empowerment: Māori staff feel respected, valued, and supported in their identity.
Towards allyship: Pākehā staff develop practical skills that allow them to engage more meaningfully as Treaty partners.
Organisational cultural shift: Māori values and perspectives begin to influence everyday practice.
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When organisations invest in rautaki reo Māori training, the impact extends well beyond the time that we share with each other. These sessions create a ripple effect across the workplace. The purpose and outcomes of these workshops is to help staff feel empowered, supported, and aligned around shared values. Embedding te reo Māori meaningfully into daily practices, we have the opportunity to overcome some deep-seated challenges that often lie unresolved in our organisations and communities.
Key benefits include:
Stronger, more inclusive teams.
Improved retention of Māori staff who feel respected and valued.
Enhanced allyship and cultural competency among Pākehā staff.
A positive reputation as a leader in partnership and cultural safety.
TANGATA WHENUA REO SUPPORT
Reclaiming our reo tūpuna can feel overwhelming, especially when we’re working through some of the mamae that comes with unpacking how languages are ‘lost’ in the first place. The emotions associated with reclaiming te reo often involve feelings of shame and guilt, which are not emotions that are conducive to creating the reo Māori futures that we’re seeking.
If you whakapapa Māori and want to strengthen your reo, this offering provides practical resources, strategies, coaching, and encouragement to help you build confidence and return your reo tūpuna to your kāinga.
This service supports you to:
Access resources that encourage reo Māori growth.
Navigate the challenges of intergenerational reclamation.
Build reo-rich environments for yourself and your whānau.
Inclusions:
Downloadable reo Māori resources.
Individual coaching and reo check-ins.
Practical strategies for everyday reo use at home and in the community.
RANGAHAU: KAUPAPA MĀORI RESEARCH
As an academic and a member of my hapū, I have engaged in Māori research for well over a decade. Having taught Māori research methods at a post-graduate level and supervised many Māori post-graduate students, kaupapa Māori research remains a passion and strength. Applying principles from Kaupapa Māori research methods can support many researchers, educators, iwi/hapū and hapori to create transformational change. Those who want to explore rangahau Māori but aren’t always sure where to start can work with me to see how meaningful change through rangahau might be possible for you. This offering connects you with Māori research expertise and practical insights so your work is culturally grounded and impactful.
This service supports you to:
Connect with Māori researchers who are dedicated to creating positive change.
Learn how research methods and findings can strengthen your own projects.
Explore ways to align your research with tikanga and principles that will allow you approach rangahau ethically from the research design phase, through to the distribution of research findings.
Inclusions:
Research consultation, supervision and mentoring.
Guidance on kaupapa Māori research design and ethics.
Opportunities to connect with national research such as Kia tōnuitia te reo: Enabling te reo Māori growth in our communities. A national reo Māori project funded by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga.
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Agencies or organisations wanting to engage in kaupapa Māori or Māori-centred research can enquire here. I provide direct, practical feedback to help refine your approach and ensure your work aligns with Māori cultural values and ethical principles. Independent researchers working on projects related to social issues or te reo Māori will also find guidance to make their work culturally appropriate and impactful.
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Aligning Research with Ethical Principles: Ensuring your approach respects Māori values and kaupapa Māori frameworks.
Providing Practical Feedback: Offering clear, useful advice on methodology, data collection, and research design.
Guiding Independent Researchers: Supporting Māori-centred research in areas like social issues and language revitalisation.
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Manawa Ū ki te Reo (Commissioned by Te Mātāwai)
Project Overview: Explored the motivations and barriers Māori whānau face in acquiring and using te reo Māori, using a kaupapa Māori mixed-methods approach.
Research Goals: Understand factors influencing engagement among pre-learners, active learners, and fluent users.
Key Findings: Courage, persistence, and strong social, emotional, and cultural support are essential. Barriers include lack of resources, community backing, and cultural reinforcement.
Support Strategies: Highlighted the need for stronger community systems, accessible resources, and reo-rich environments.
Impact: Findings have shaped national language revitalisation initiatives and educational programmes, informing both policy and practice.
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Please enquire for specific rates, as these vary depending on the scope and nature of support required.
WHY WORK WITH ME?
“I bring together academic expertise AND lived experience”
I am not just an academic. I am also a reo Māori learner and a māmā who understands first-hand the courage and persistence it takes to reclaim an ancestral language. My lived experience as a language learner shapes the way I connect with others, offering empathy, encouragement, and practical guidance for those navigating their own reo journey.
Alongside my personal journey, I bring more than a decade of teaching and research, including a PhD focused on reo Māori reclamation. My vision is for te reo Māori to thrive in homes, schools, workplaces, and communities across Aotearoa. Through my work, I combine evidence-based strategies with aroha and manaakitanga to help people and organisations fill their kete with the knowledge and tools to make that vision real.