Te Wai Māori

07/10/2026

Māori Freshwater Fisheries Conference 2026 is coming to Heretaunga/Hawke’s Bay!

Two days of kōrero, mātauranga, connection and sharing around Māori freshwater fisheries.

📅 3–4 Whiringa-ā-rangi / November
📍 Toitoi, Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre

Registrations are open now!
https://maorifreshwaterfisheries.org.nz

20/09/2026

Our Wai Māori Scholarship application round closes this week!

We thought we’d share a bit about some of our past recipients and their awesome mahi.

Next up in our series is Tyla Hill-Moana. Tyla is currently undertaking a PhD in Genetics at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka – University of Otago. Her PhD project is part of the ‘Safeguarding te mana o Te Awa o Waikato from emerging climatic pressures’ programme, which looks at how rising atmospheric CO₂ will affect our awa. Her focus is on the taonga species, kaakahi or kaaeo, exploring how resilient they are to these changes.

Apply now for the 2026 Wai Māori Scholarship. Share this with any rangatahi who seek to make a difference for our wai, taiao and freshwater taonga species.

Kia horo! Applications close on Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 5pm.

Apply online through the link on our website

18/09/2026

Our Wai Māori Scholarship application round closes next week!

We thought we’d share a bit about some of our past recipients and their awesome mahi.

First up, we have Jade Ruka. Jade is currently undertaking a Masters in Ecology and Biodiversity at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Her project, ‘Te Mauri o Ngā Awa Kua Wareware - The Mauri of Forgotten Streams’ investigates the presence and distribution of tuna and other taonga species in Te Whanganui-ā-Tara’s forgotten streams. It integrates environmental DNA (eDNA) testing, mātauranga Māori, and cultural health assessments to reconnect ecological data with pūrākau and the mauri of these waterways.

Apply now for the 2026 Wai Māori Scholarship. Share this with any rangatahi who seek to make a difference for our wai, taiao and freshwater taonga species.

Kia horo! Applications close on Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 5pm.

Apply online through the link on our website

18/08/2026

Applications for the Wai Ora Fund 2026 close FRIDAY!

The 2026 Wai Ora Fund is now open! A total pool of $250,000 is available to applicants.

Apply for up to $50,000 to support the aspirations of iwi and hapū with initiatives that:

🌊 Increase Iwi and hapū capacity and capability in freshwater fisheries and their ability to exercise rangatiratanga over their freshwater fisheries,

🌊 Promote and share indigenous fisheries expertise, knowledge and understanding,

🌊 Increase the quality and range of information to Iwi and hapū on freshwater fisheries and their interests thereof,

🌊 Enhance the health and wellbeing of the indigenous fisheries and their environment.

Interested?

Further information about the Wai Ora Fund, including eligibility criteria, funding exclusions and funding priorities, is available on the Te Wai Māori Trust website, just go to the Learn More button at the top of our page.

Submit your application online using our online portal by 5pm on Friday 21st August.

Late entries will not be considered so get them in now.

12/08/2026

Are you studying kaupapa related to Wai Māori me ōna taonga? Applications are now open for the 2026 Wai Māori Scholarship.

This scholarship was established in 2022 to strengthen the presence of Māori experts in freshwater and freshwater fisheries related fields of academic study and professional fields.

A total fund of $30,000 has been made available for this scholarship. This may be awarded to a single recipient or split between a number of recipients.

This year, the Wai Māori Scholarship application process will be managed through the online application portal SmartyGrants. All applications must be made via Smartygrants.

Interested? Visit the Te Wai Māori Trust website to see if you’re eligible and then apply online. Click the Learn More button at the top of our page.

Applications close on Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 5pm.

28/07/2026

Time for a short story;

Aki Tai Here Ltd is a past recipient of the Wai Ora Fund and used that funding to deliver Tirotiro ki te Wai, a project focused on embedding māramataka and local mātauranga-informed freshwater monitoring techniques into habitat restoration sites across the Whangārei Heads area and wider Te Tai Tokerau.

Through the development of site-specific monitoring methods informed by local knowledge and the observations of kaitiaki, the project supported a deeper understanding of freshwater ecosystem health while enhancing restoration efforts in wetlands and riparian areas.

The 2026 Wai Ora Funding Round is officially open!

To read about the mahi of past recipients and for further information about the Wai Ora Fund, including eligibility criteria, funding exclusions and funding priorities, visit the Te Wai Māori Trust website.

Follow the Learn More button at the top of our page

21/07/2026

21/07/2026

14/07/2026

Tēnā koutou katoa e ngā iwi, e ngā hapū, e ngā whānau o te motu,

The 2026 Wai Ora Fund is now open! A total pool of $250,000 is available to applicants.

Apply for up to $50,000 to support the aspirations of iwi and hapū with initiatives that:

🌊 Increase Iwi and hapū capacity and capability in freshwater fisheries and their ability to exercise rangatiratanga over their freshwater fisheries

🌊 Promote and share indigenous fisheries expertise, knowledge and understanding

🌊 Increase the quality and range of information to Iwi and hapū on freshwater fisheries and their interests thereof

🌊 Enhance the health and wellbeing of the indigenous fisheries and their environment.

Established in 2012, more than $2.5 million has since been distributed to support over 70 projects.

Interested?

Further information about the Wai Ora Fund, including eligibility criteria, funding exclusions and funding priorities, is available on the Te Wai Māori Trust website.

Applications close Friday 21 August 2026 at 5pm. Rehekō!

17/06/2026

Ko te tangi o ngā manga iti, o ngā manga nui, huihuia mai ngā wai, ngā ngaru pukepuke kia tupu te puna roimata ki roto i ahau e. Ko te reo aroha o Te Wai Māori e tangi ake nei

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the recent passing of our alternate director, Ian Ruru. Ian made a significant contribution to the mahi of Te Wai Māori Trust and as a member of our Te Mana o ngā Tuna rōpū. His deep understanding of Wai Māori as both a practitioner and governor was invaluable and highly respected across Te Ao Māori, science, local government and the broader community. Chair of Te Wai Māori Trust, Rawiri Faulkner reflects on his immense contribution. ‘He was incredibly competent, but most of all he was a lovely person with a deep aroha for his people our taiao and our taonga’

Ian will be deeply missed by all of us at Te Wai Māori, and within the broader kāhui of Te Ohu Kaimoana. We extend our deepest condolences and aroha to Ian’s whānau at this challenging time. We have lost a warrior, a champion, an advocate and a storyteller. Moe mai rā e te rangatira, i tō moenga roa.