Te Whakapapa o Niho Taniwha

Niho Taniwha is grounded in Mātauranga Māori and in the relationships, knowledge and guidance of the many people who shaped it.

The story of Niho Taniwha and how it came to be is shared below.

The Story of Niho Taniwha

Whakapapa

Niho Taniwha emerged between 2019 and 2021 to support systems-level learning and change. The Auckland Co-design Lab developed it with kaupapa Māori evaluator Kataraina Pipi and Developmental Evaluator Kate McKegg, alongside learning partners, Māori practitioners, kaumātua, ringa toi, hoa haere and whānau.

It builds on the evaluative work of Te Korekoreka and grew within the learning environments of Tokona te Raki and The Southern Initiative. Grounded in mātauranga Māori, Niho Taniwha also draws on Western bodies of knowledge, including social innovation, developmental evaluation and systems change.

Further resources

More about the whakapapa of Niho Taniwha and how it came to be can be found in the following resources:

  • Kia Tipu Te Ao Mārama [LINK]

  • Niho Taniwha: A framework for place-based and systems learning [LINK]

  • An Introduction to Niho Taniwha: Why Niho Taniwha was developed [LINK]

The Foundations of Niho Taniwha

This 10-minute video explores how kōrero tuku iho, Indigenous-led change and place-based approaches ground Niho Taniwha.

Te Tohu o Niho Taniwha

Within Te Ao Māori, traditional pūrākau or stories feature taniwha as guardians, leaders, and holders of local knowledge. Through their fierce protection and transformative power, taniwha remind us to remain alert and responsive to the shifting landscape around us.

The tohu (motif or pattern) of Niho Taniwha is a series of layered triangles, symbolising the teeth of a taniwha. Widely found across the Pacific, this tohu often represents knowledge, learning and whakapapa.

Read more about the whakapapa of Niho Taniwha here.

Kaitiakitanga

Who can use Niho Taniwha?

Niho Taniwha is for anyone wanting to embed a live learning system that supports systems shifts towards achieving more equitable outcomes for whānau. It is not for personal gain, profit or commercialisation.

Using Niho Taniwha carries an important responsibility. Much of the mātauranga Māori within this framework has been generously shared and entrusted to us, and we are committed to protecting its integrity.

If you are tauiwi or non-Māori, we ask that you engage with its whakapapa first and understand your own positionality to the mātauranga Māori it draws on.

The Lab upholds four pou of kaitiakitanga across all its mahi: Mana Whenua, Mana Mātauranga, Mana Tangata and Mana Kaupapa. We ask that you do the same.

Not sure whether your use fits? Get in touch.

Explore Niho Taniwha

  • Learn about the whakapapa of Niho Taniwha and how it came to be.

  • Build your understanding of Niho Taniwha through the following resources:

    • Niho Taniwha Overview: A slide deck introducing the key elements of Niho Taniwha.

    • Niho Taniwha Introduction: A comprehensive exploration of the framework, its purpose, key elements and what it supports us to do.

  • Guidance, tools and templates to support teams applying the Niho Taniwha framework including:

    • Downloadable practice guides and templates

    • The Niho Taniwha Practice Guide

    • Practice advice for Te Whāriki and each Wāhi Ako

    • Guidance to help you decide if Niho Taniwha is suitable in your context and how to get started.

    [LINK]

  • See how teams across Aotearoa are using Niho Taniwha in their mahi, through case studies and recorded presentations.

    [LINK]

  • Join the Niho Taniwha Learning Network for support, shared learning and practical examples from others applying Niho Taniwha.

    [LINK]