Honouring Te Tiriti O Waitangi

By Gina Stevens-Rembe | Operations Lead at Dev Academy

For a while now, we’ve been working within our organisation to determine how we can better honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The treaty is one of the founding documents of modern Aotearoa, to much controversy. Its English-translation version is not the accurate translation of the te reo Māori version — resulting in an inaccuracy of historical proportions, with its effects of inequity in health, education, incarceration rates, housing, institutional and systemic racism (to name a few) still very much felt today. For those interested in more details, here’s a link to NZ History that may be of value, which lays out the differences between the two versions.

Dev Academy’s place in this

Our Kaiārahi Māori Dougal Stott (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu) will be sharing the mahi Dev Academy is undertaking to embed Te Tiriti across the organisation and through deliverables.

Having started as a Pākeha-origin organisation, we have started working out internally what honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi looks like for us as an organisation. The tech industry, in particular, isn’t necessarily known to be particularly inclusive, let alone paying attention to the work needed to honour Te Tiriti. But to make progress as a country, to become more equitable and respectful of the practices and principles of Aotearoa’s indigenous peoples, we’ve all got to do our part. Be it in policy, community organisations or corporations. It’s possible for each and all of us to amend our daily behaviours to pay more active attention to foster participation, partnership and protection of those from a Māori background, and other minority groups.

We see an opportunity to have a conversation in the tech sector to consider what honouring Te Tiriti looks like for the industry’s organisations. As part of this ambition, we’re hosting the first of our Te Tiriti Meets Tech events. It’s for those willing to, and starting to, engage in the topic, but who may be lost for first or next steps. It’s aimed at those willing to be open to learning and growing. It’s aimed at those willing to work harder for a more equitable country. This event is aimed at tauiwi (non-Māori) organisations and the people in those places.

Come and join us for a brave conversation in a safe space, to walk alongside each other. Whilst we may have started on our journey of doing more to honour Te Tiriti, we are still making mistakes and we too are still very much learning how to do this work.

Event details:

This free event will take place in partnership with Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation on Thursday 15th August. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Secure your place here: https://te-tiriti-x-tech.lilregie.com/booking/attendees/new