Honouring Te Tiriti Through Water Stewardship

Water is not a resource to Māori. It is a living ancestor. It carries whakapapa, sustains life, and holds responsibility. The Treaty and Integrity of Water Workshop invites organisations to rethink how water is understood, governed, and protected through a Te Tiriti and mātauranga Māori lens.

This workshop explores Te Tiriti obligations as they relate to wai. Participants are guided through Māori worldviews of water, including concepts such as mauri, kaitiakitanga, and intergenerational responsibility. We examine how historical and contemporary decisions about water have impacted Māori communities and ecosystems, and what this means for organisations today.

Rather than focusing solely on environmental compliance, this workshop asks deeper questions. Who holds authority over water? Who bears the consequences of its degradation? How do organisational decisions align with Te Tiriti principles and the integrity of wai?

Participants engage with real-world scenarios relevant to infrastructure, energy, health, local government, and commercial development. The goal is not to prescribe one solution, but to build the capability to make informed, values-aligned decisions that respect both Te Tiriti and the living nature of water.

This workshop supports organisations to align environmental strategy with cultural integrity, social responsibility, and long-term sustainability. It strengthens relationships with mana whenua and equips leaders to act with confidence, care, and foresight.

Water remembers. How we treat it today shapes the legacy we leave tomorrow.

If your organisation works with water in any form and wants to lead with integrity, connect with Wolfgramm Holdings at [email protected] to learn more about the Treaty and Integrity of Water Workshop.