Wā Kāinga Māori Real Estate is tackling the underrepresentation of Māori in homeownership and built environment professions, and this explores the experience of two designers at Jasmax who form part of the firm’s Waka Māia cultural advisory group.

“What we’re starting to see is these opportunities coming through that really value the place of Māori. But, what we’re also trying to push here at Jasmax is that identity, an Aotearoa identity, and what that looks like through design,” says Apenti Tamanui-Fransen, senior associate at Jasmax.

The video highlights the need for more Māori in the architecture industry but notes how challenging it can be for indigenous people to see it as a viable career path. Monsul Dewes-Tupara is another Waka Māia member at Jasmax, and he notes how influential the group was for him. “It’s really hard to get into an area where you don’t see a lot of Māori faces, but a part of that is because you don’t see a lot of Māori faces. That Waka Māia rōpū was a big drawcard for me.”

Wā Kāinga encourages Māori to bring their unique perspective and understanding of whakapapa to the built environment in order to create solutions to the problems facing Aotearoa like climate change and the housing shortage.

“Our culture is rich in our kaupapa Māori … we can help articulate that on the land and create this Aotearoa landscape, giving New Zealand a unique architecture identity…” Dewes-Tupara says.

Keep up with the rest of the Wā Kāinga Māori Real Estate on Instagram and Facebook.

This series is produced by Story Is King Media Agency, directed by John-Paul Pohe and funded by Te Māngai Pāho.