Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Our commitment
Zero Waste Aotearoa is committed to upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our governance, operations, and vision for a zero waste future. This page outlines our He panui whāngai / Statement of Intent, detailing our commitment to Te Tiriti justice through our intentions, foundation, and core values of Partnership, Practice, Perseverance, and Collaboration. It was first developed in 2023 and updated in 2025.
Engaging with Te Tiriti Justice
We encourage you to read about the critical role of Māori leadership and Indigenous solutions in achieving a circular economy: Indigenous Solutions to the Waste Crisis.
We also run regular ‘Embedding Te Tiriti’ calls for our members to collectively learn, share, and support each other in integrating Te Tiriti principles into their work. To find out more, consider joining the network and if you’re already a member head to our members portal for info on upcoming calls.
He Panui Whāinga
Statement of Intent
Ko ngā tapuwae tuku iho, ko te huarahi manawapou.
Follow the footsteps of our ancestors to sustain humanity.
E Whakaae ana Mātou
We acknowledge
As a Tangata Tiriti organisation, we acknowledge He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga and the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as living, foundational agreements between tangata whenua (Māori) and tangata tiriti (non-Māori). We acknowledge that Te Tiriti affirmed tino rangatiratanga (Māori sovereignty) and their ongoing role as kaitiaki (guardians) of the environment.
We acknowledge that the waste and climate crises are symptoms of a linear, extractive economic system that disregards both the natural world and Indigenous rights. Central to this are systems of power and ideology — including colonisation, capitalism, and consumerism — that continue to disrupt long standing Māori relationships with te taiao.
Upholding Te Tiriti and supporting Indigenous self-determination and kaitiakitanga are essential to addressing the root causes of the waste and climate crises, and to building a truly just and regenerative zero-waste future.
This statement of intent outlines our commitment to Te Tiriti justice in governance and operational practice.
Matou Tūāpapa
Our intention
Zero Waste Aotearoa will:
• Develop and incorporate values, processes and tikanga that reflect our intent.
• Work with Tangata Whenua to protect and restore Papatūānuku and Ranginui for the wellbeing of our tamariki mokopuna.
• Model allyship, partnership and reciprocal relationships between tangata whenua and tangata tiriti.
• Commit to continuous education, growth, and development in our knowledge and understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, matauranga and te reo māori.
Matou Tūāpapa
Our Foundation
The foundation of our Statement of Intent is Te Tiriti o Waitangi — a living agreement that affirms tino rangatiratanga and the role of Māori as kaitiaki of te taiao. Our foundation also rests on our values, which guide how we embody our responsibilities as Tangata Tiriti, challenge systems of injustice, and centre Indigenous knowledge in our pursuit of a zero-waste future.
Mahi Ngatāhi
Partnership
We challenge ourselves to embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our work by embracing Tino rangatiratanga, ensuring Tangata Whenua have a voice in decision making and leadership, and we support their aspirations.
• Build and nurture relationships and partnerships with tangata whenua para kore advocates.
• Participate in marae led initiatives and support tangata whenua priorities. • Amplify the messages of tangata whenua para kore advocates.
• Share and cede power and resources where we can.
Whakaharatau
Practice
We create and implement effective real-world solutions to achieve zero waste, elevating indigenous ways of knowing and being, including matauranga Māori and tikanga.
• Utilise te reo, a taonga gifted to our nation.
• Utilise waiata and karakia as a way of using te reo and practicing tikanga.
• Support our team and our members to have a greater understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Support our team to learn Matauranga Māori in relation to waste minimisation practices. • Have respect for and adherence to tapu and noa tikanga.
• Promote the development of energy saving, resource minimisation and water saving methods which supports the abundance of Papatuanuku and Ranginui.
• Weave tangata whenua work practices and values in our planning, processes, and procedures.
Whakaaetanga
Perseverance
We commit ourselves to building an abundant, regenerative, peaceful, just and fair world for our mokopuna and future generations.
• Promote the reduction of consumption that drives exploitation of the resource from Te Taiao.
• Create a pathway for our tamariki and mokopuna to become future Kaitiaki of our planet.
• Be an active advocate and ally for Māori aspirations.
• Advocate for respecting the value, the beauty and the mauri of the materials that exist in Te Ao Māori.
Raranga Mahi
Collaboration
We work collaboratively sharing ideas, resources and opportunities whilst weaving tangata whenua ways of being and knowing into our everyday practice.
• Make a commitment to actively uphold, educate and advocate for Te Tiriti justice.
• Continue to recruit and engage tangata whenua to reflect a genuine partnership relationship throughout our organisation.
• Investigate how we can support the position of whanau, hapu and Iwi on issues relative to our kaupapa. • Learn from the experiences of others working with Tangata Whenua to promote genuine engagement
• Promote the use of Marae as places of learning, engaging, and participating in Te Ao Māori activities.
• Invite tangata whenua to be our keynote speakers and share their expertise in Te Taiao mahi.
