Our Kaupapa — Guiding Purpose
Rākau Mairire Whare Mōtatau exists to uphold, nurture, and live by Māori tikanga and kawa as the foundation for healing, connection, and whānau well-being. We are not just a place — we are a living practice: a whare where people come to reconnect, to remember, and to restore.
Our kaupapa centres on:
- Whakapapa — Connection to Ancestry: Honouring the threads that bind us to those who came before, and recognising that every person carries the wisdom and strength of their lineage.
- Whanaungatanga — Belonging: Building warm, enduring relationships where every person is seen, heard, and welcomed as part of a larger family.
- Manaakitanga — Care and Respect: Lifting one another up with kindness, generosity, and dignity — creating a safe haven where vulnerability is met with compassion.
- Kaitiakitanga — Stewardship: Protecting our whenua, our knowledge, and our spaces so they remain strong and accessible for the generations yet to come.
- Rangatiratanga — Self-Determination: Empowering people to reclaim their voice, their identity, and their right to shape their own lives in balance and truth.
We stand for those who have felt disconnected — from their roots, from their culture, or from their place in the world. Through karakia, kōrero, shared work, and quiet presence, we walk alongside people as they find their way home to themselves.
Our Lineage — Roots and Continuity
The name Rākau Mairire Whare Mōtatau carries our story in every word:
- Rākau — the tree, the wood, the people. We are like trees planted by the waters: rooted in the past, growing in the present, reaching toward the future. We draw strength from those who stood here before us, and we stand so that others may find shade and shelter in turn.
- Mairire — the enduring, the unbroken, the steadfast. Our line has not been severed, even through hard times. We carry forward the knowledge, the practices, and the love passed down through generations, keeping the flame alive through change and challenge.
- Whare Mōtatau — the house of remembering. This is a place where we recall who we are and where we come from. It is a space where stories are retold, where traditions are renewed, and where identity is reclaimed. To enter here is to remember — and in remembering, to be made whole again.
This whare is not new. It stands on foundations laid long before us. We are the current guardians — the trustees, the pou tikanga, the workers — holding space for the continuation of something much larger than ourselves. As we have received, so we give: ensuring that the path remains open for those who follow.
TRUST
We are a trust guided by our trustees, serving our communities from Tāmaki Makaurau and across Aotearoa. Our work bridges cultural practice, social support, and practical care — always with whakapapa at the centre. We do not own this kaupapa; we tend it. We do not lead alone; we walk together.
GETTING INVOLVED
Support Our Kaupapa
Your support helps us provide safe homes, meaningful programmes, and genuine care for men returning to their whānau.
- Donations — every contribution directly supports our work
- Partnerships — we welcome connections with iwi, government, businesses and community groups
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