‍Mātaiao ki Tāmaki is a Sport New Zealand Ihi Aotearoa-funded initiative designed to transform how our kura engage with physical activity.

Working with kaiako from kura Māori across the Auckland region, mātauranga taiao is integrated into the curriculum to promote active, culturally grounded learning, connecting ākonga to their local environment.

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"He whakamana anō i te mātauranga Māori, kia hoki ai te Māori ki ōna akoranga taiao."
Empowering mātauranga Māori through a return to environmental learning.

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Why Mātaiao?

In 2019, statistics showed that only 7% of tamariki and young people meet the national guidelines for daily physical activity.

Mātaiao addresses this through a te ao Māori worldview, re-establishing movement as a natural extension of environmental connection.

"Me puta ki tua o taumata noho."
‍Ascend beyond sedentary.

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What is Mātaiao?

Underpinned by Atua Matua, Mātaiao is a kaupapa supporting kura and kaiako to implement a te ao Māori approach through whakapapa and mātauranga Māori to connect ākonga to te taiao.  

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"He tirotiro ki ngā tohu o te taiao, ōna atua, ōna mātauranga, ka whakaarahia hei akoranga mā te tangata."
‍Mātaiao means to observe the world, that is, observe environmental phenomena and knowledge, and use those as a teaching and learning approach.

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Te Orokohanga - The Origin

Mātaiao began with the Atua Matua Framework, developed by Dr Ihirangi Heke to reawaken knowledge of our natural environments and advance the wellbeing of our people.

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Nā te kaupapa Atua Matua ko Tapuwaekura. Nā Tapuwaekura ko Mātaiao

‍Maiangi ake ai a Mātaiao i ngā mātāpono o Atua Matua me ngā whanaketanga o Tapuwaekura. Ko tā Mātaiao whai, ko te tūhura i te Mātauranga Māori e makuru ai te hua ora ki te tangata ki te whānuitanga me te hōhonutanga o te oranga tangata ki tā te Māori titiro.

Ngā Whāinga o Mātaiao ki Tamaki

Ka mārama te ākonga ki ngā mātāpono Mātaiao.

• Ka ita ake te herenga o te ākonga ki te taiao.
• Ka pakari ake te oranga tinana o te ākonga.
• Ka mōhio te ākonga ki te whakahaere wānanga Mātaiao.
• Ka whakahaere te ākonga i tōna anō wānanga Mātaiao ki tōna kura/wāhi mahi.
• Ka whakauru te ākonga i ngā akoranga/mātāpono Mātaiao ki te Marautanga.

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"Ko ngā Atua me ō rātou reo te tatau ki te oranga tonutanga o te taiao."
Learn from the taiao.

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Maramataka Mātaiao 2026

Wānanga  Tuatahi - Mātai Nui
‍14 - 15 o Paenga Whāwhā ki Hoani Waititi Marae

‍Wānanga Tuarua - Mātai Iti
‍11-12 o Haratua  9am - 3pm | Te Tūāpapa me te Hāpai ō

‍Wānanga Tuatoru - Mātai Iti
‍28 o Here Turi Kōkā 9am - 3pm | Maunga Kōrero

‍Wānanga Tuawha - Mātai Nui
‍28 - 29 o Mahuru | Tāwhirirangi - Te Pae Tawhiti

Bring Mātaiao to your Kura

We support your kura in moving the classroom outdoors. Through our wānanga, we provide the training and frameworks for kaiako and ākonga to become experts in environmental observation and active learning.

If you want to learn more about Mātaiao ki Tāmaki or how you can attend a wānanga, email Chrissy Hiraani at chrissy@toitangata.co.nz

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"Maranga mai he ora!"
Emanate vitality to its highest potential.