Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono
The kupu Tāhono derives from ‘hono’, meaning to link or connect, and the prefix ‘tā’, which translates to ‘to cause’. Together, they signify the act of causing connections and bringing people together. This name was gifted to our project by Professor Tom Roa.
Our vision is of an Aotearoa Te Waipouamu, where everyone has a place to belong, leaving discrimination, racism, and prejudice in the past. It is a vision where everybody’s mana is recognised and respected, regardless of one’s background. It is a vision of upholding Te Tiriti, recognising tino rangatiratanga and supporting the rights and tikanga of tangata whenua.
Our mission is to build a social movement of people, organisations, and communities nationwide to achieve this vision.
Our whakataukī
A whakataukī was gifted to our project by Professor Tom Roa, inspired by the toroa (albatross), a symbol of peace. The proverb tracks the toroa as it soars across the seas, to its nesting sites inland, and how it sews offshore and onshore together in its flight.
Kaimahi
Core team
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Anjum Rahman
Anjum Rahman is the founder of Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono and is a chartered accountant with 30 years of experience across various commercial, farming, and not-for-profit sectors.
She serves on international committees addressing violent extremist content online and has served as the inaugural co-chair of the Christchurch Call Advisory Network and the Vice-Chair of the Independent Advisory Committee of the Global Internet Forum for Countering Terrorism. Anjum contributes to improving Aotearoa’s digital future as Vice-President of the Ipurangi Aotearoa (InternetNZ) Council.
Committed to community service, Anjum has been a founding member of multiple organizations supporting ethnic and faith communities. She co-founded the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand in 1990 to unite Muslim women and represent their concerns and was a founding member and trustee of Shama, Ethnic Women’s Trust, which supports ethnic minority women through social work service, life-skills classes, and community development. She has worked in the area of sexual violence prevention both as a volunteer and as a Government advisor. In addition, she is a trustee of Trust Waikato, a major funder in the Waikato Region.
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Atarau Hamilton-FullerAs an innovator, a challenger, and a community advocate, Atarau’s early experience in youth work developed and utilised his strengths in communication, empathy and understanding – skills key to maanaki i te rangtaahi. This has evolved into his passion for community facilitation and development.He has experience supporting a number of community opportunities on the ground with communities and leaders, including kickstarting the Bridging Cultures project. Since 2021, his involvement in Tāhono has grown and he is fortunate to lead out pieces of mahi under Constitutional Transformation and strengthening people across cultures, communities and conversations. He is a facilitator who enjoys the big picture and chasing down ways to get to the goal.Kia mau, kia ita, kia pupuri, kia kore ai e ngaroGrab hold, hold tight, pull it close, so it is never lost
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Ari
Ko Ari tooku ignoa. Ko irawhiti me whakataane ahau.
Ari has an eclectic history working within mental health and rainbow spaces, food safety and SME consulting with a wealth of administrative, logistical, and operational experience. They are a proud member of the neurospicey, spoonie and disabled communities. They are passionate about decolonisation, kai sovereignty, and community building.
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Staughm Collins
Staughm is tauiwi Pākehā of English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh heritage. Raised in Ōtepoti Dunedin, Staughm is now based in Ōtautahi Christchurch. With a history and passion for uplifting and amplifying the stories of those who are less heard, Staughm runs the external communications of Tāhono. Dedicated to learning from the experiences of others, promoting the accessibility of information through good communication design is at the core of his day-to-day mahi.
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Wyatt Graft
Wyatt migrated to Aotearoa from the US in 2017. Since then, she has found deep connection, whānau, and personal healing from the land and its people.
She now lives in beautiful Stillwater in Tāmaki Makaurau with her partner and two young daughters. Wyatt believes in the strength and ātaahua of the whenau that is Aotearoa and is committed to serving her community and building hononga, connection. As a social worker and social change activist, she brings a background of active listening, compassion, and engagement to her mahi with Tāhono.
External contractors
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Trent Morgan
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Lautalie (Talie) Schmidt-Geen
Advisory group
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Jackie Clark
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Lincoln Dam
Lincoln Dam is a lecturer and Director of English-Medium Education in Te Puna Wānanga/the School of Māori and Indigenous Education at Waipapa Taumata Rau/the University of Auckland. He teaches courses on race and ethnicity, diversity more broadly, multicultural education, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Lincoln’s current research explores the ethics and politics of (Im)migrant-Indigenous relations, specifically Asian-Māori and Asian-Te Tiriti relations in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
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Ruth Gerzon
Māori advisory team
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Associate Professor Dr. Tom Roa
Dr. Roa is the former chief negotiator for Waikato-Tainui, a former chairman and current member of both the Waikato-Tainui Executive committee (Te Arataura) and the Waikato-Tainui tribal parliament (Te Whakakitenga o Waikato). He is an esteemed kaumātua and orator within Tainui waka. His principal interests include Waikato-Maniapoto oral and written history and traditions, the Kīngitanga, Māori-English translation and Māori traditional knowledge relating to flora, fauna, marine resources and also to land.
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Sandy Morrison
Sandy is an Associate Professor, Faculty of Maori and Indigenous Studies, University of Waikato. Her scholarship focuses on indigenous models of development partnerships under the Treaty of Waitangi as well as education for sustainable development. She is also the winner of the National Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award for Sustained Excellence in a Kaupapa Māori Context. She is the current President of the International Council of Adult Education and was admitted to the International Adult and Community Education Hall of Fame, Oklahoma University in 2009. Tribally, she descends from Te Arawa, Maniapoto and Te Tau Ihu o te Waka a Māui.
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Te Huia Bill Hamilton
Bill’s relationship building skills are his greatest strength combined with a high level of strategic and management thinking and style. He has extensive networks nationally and internationally. Having over 20 years experience in governance and senior management, and vast expertise in operational matters including reporting, monitoring and risk management, he has a proven record of achieving a high standard of outcomes.
He prefers an inclusive collaborative working style and has a proven record in teaching, training, facilitation, mediation and resource development. He has contributed to specific successful relationship building with iwi over many years. He has a sound knowledge of Tikanga Maori and mid-level competency in Te Reo Maori. He is strongly supported by his iwi, hapu and whanau. His written and oral communication skills are well developed and is highly skilled in weaving the Treaty of Waitangi into business management and community development, the latter being a passion for him. He has experience working at local, regional, national and international levels.
