Hautū Waka: An approach to navigating complexity drawn from mātauranga Māori

In this webinar, Angie Tangaere and Anne-Marie Mujica (Auckland Co-design Lab) will introduce and explore the navigational practice and knowledge of Hautū Waka, an indigenous approach to wayfinding and working in complexity. Hautū Waka is an example of an indigenous navigation practice that can be used to map, guide and track complex change and learning work. We have found Hautū Waka to be a powerful tool for public sector teams holding and leading complex change work at individual and collective levels. In our experience it gives more guidance for those undertaking system transformation efforts than conventional tools that seek to reduce complexity. It prioritises contextual awareness, pace, rhythm and relationships. It emphasises that change is not a planning exercise—it is a journey that we need to learn about and build the capabilities for as we go. Shared by Matua Rereata Makiha and further developed by Roimata Taniwha-Paoo and Ayla Hoeta, Hautū Waka is helping us to provide a language for navigating the complex terrain of change in the public sector, drawing on the deep mātauranga of traditional navigators who traversed vast oceans to find land in Aotearoa.

Bios:

Angie Tangaere, Ngāti Porou, Kaitohu Tangata Whenua, Auckland Co-design Lab. 

Ko Hikurangi te Maunga
Ko Waiapu te Awa
Ko Ngāti Porou te Iwi

Angie Tangaere was born in Papakura and raised in South Auckland with a whakapapa to Ngāti Porou on her father’s side and Pākehā from Taranaki on her mother’s side. Graduating with a law degree Angie was keen to work at a community level and took up a role at Te Puni Kōkiri working with iwi and Māori trusts in South Auckland. Angie later worked with the Ministry of Social Development in South Auckland communities looking for ways to develop better services and engagement with communities and whānau, as well as with Māori health NGO, the National Hauora Coalition. She has a Masters in Māori and Indigenous Leadership from the University of Canterbury Aotearoa New Zealand. Angie is currently Kaitohu, Tangata Whenua, Auckland Co-design Lab where she combines her experience with government agencies, community and whānau to develop and co-design whānau-led innovation initiatives, disrupting ineffective ‘business as usual’ systems.

Anne-Marie Mujica – Systems Innovation Lead, Auckland Co-design Lab

Anne-Marie Mujica is interested in how co-design can be used to influence positive systems change. Born in Venezuela and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Anne-Marie has experience in advocacy and campaigning working for non-governmental organisations such as Oxfam International – involving diverse coalitions across the world. She has also worked in local government strategy and policy in Aotearoa. More recently she has had the opportunity to learn and use design techniques and work alongside colleagues developing whānau-centric design. She draws on her earlier experience to ensure strategic learning from co-design at the grassroots level is used in broader systems change while working with Central Government partners.

For more information email judybrucenz@gmail.com

About the Systems Change webinar series

Introduction to Systems Change in Aotearoa is an interactive webinar series for emerging and established leaders interested in learning more about the frameworks and methodologies of systems thinking, tools, leadership, and change. Each one hour webinar will provide opportunities to: 

• Connect with other community and sector leaders within NZ interested in equity issues
• Gain fresh understandings of systems change and ways to apply knowledge and tools
• Share innovative practices and ideas that generate systems change 

This series is a Leadership Lab Rourou initiative which hosts spaces to listen to contemporary voices, to collaborate with others, and to address gnarly issues. LinC Rourou amplifies marginalised voices for advocacy and to provoke system change.