Starting Intercultural Connections in Aotearoa - Reflection

Starting Intercultural Connections in Aotearoa has felt both like a privilege and a profound responsibility. This land, with its bicultural commitments rooted in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is at a pivotal moment. Many Māori find themselves, once again, having to fight for the simple acknowledgment of equity principles—principles that should be woven into the very fabric of our collective identity already. For those of us who are not Māori but stand alongside, advocating for a foundation grounded in te ao Māori, this moment feels both exhausting and frustrating.

We aspire for something deeper. To embrace te ao Māori as a foundation and create space to weave the many threads of cultures arriving in Aotearoa—including the perspectives of Pākehā. Yet, the framing of “interculturalism” has sometimes been met with resistance here, and I’ve had to reflect on why.

I believe some of this resistance stems from confusion—interculturalism is often conflated with multiculturalism, and who can blame people for sidestepping what feels like academic jargon in the face of real-world issues? But there’s more to it. Many aren’t ready to kōrero about cultivating an intercultural mindset, especially when the respect and understanding owed to treaty partners is still so far from realised.

For me, interculturalism isn’t about bypassing those commitments. It’s about cultivating mindsets where everyone’s truths can coexist—where opposing truths can find spaces to settle with respect, grounded in an understanding of power dynamics. This framing challenges us to reflect on our positionality within any given context.

But I’ve also noticed something interesting. Migrants to Aotearoa often grasp the intercultural mindset quickly, but it seems harder for both Māori and Pākehā to land on. Perhaps it’s because, for Māori, respect and equity within the Te Tiriti relationship remain unfinished work. And for Pākehā, interculturalism if confused with multiculturalism may become an “out”—a way to avoid the hard, necessary work of reflecting on their relationship with tangata whenua.

My hope is to support all mindsets to reflect on their positionality. To honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi while welcoming the diverse cultural framings brought by migrants. Aotearoa is uniquely positioned to offer something extraordinary to the world—a culture young enough to innovate, yet rich with perspectives that can inspire global change.

We’ve seen glimpses of this on the world stage. Love them or loathe their politics, Jacinda Ardern embodied a relational leadership that resonated globally for many. Helen Clark through her work with the UN, Helen Clark Foundation and the Elders Foundation. And there are countless New Zealanders—known and unknown, Tangata whenua, Tangata Pākehā and Tau iwi—who live and breathe intercultural mindsets with grace and skill.

This year, I’ll be expanding my work to projects in Europe and Asia while continuing to collaborate with individuals and organisations here in Aotearoa. This reflection is my way of grounding myself in the unique dynamics of this land. Aotearoa remains at the heart of my practice, and I’m inspired by its potential to be a global leader in equity, peace, and mutual respect.

As we step into 2025, I’m committed to refining how I articulate the usefulness of an intercultural mindset in whatever context I am supporting. For leaders, teams, and communities, it’s a tool for building relationships that are mana enhancing, respect diversity, and consciously address power dynamics.

If you’d like to kōrero (chat) about how this mindset might support you or your organisation, I’d love to hear from you.