August 9th 2025 is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which was created in 1995 by the UN (United Nations) to raise awareness and protect the rights of indigenous people globally. The date chosen also commemorates the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. VOYCE’s Pou Whirinaki team have created the following reflection on what being indigenous to Aotearoa means to them.

Ko Wai Mātou – Who We Are

Indigenous Peoples of Aotearoa

To be Indigenous to Aotearoa is to carry a deep, unbroken connection to the language, culture, identity, and land that stretches back to the beginning of all things.

We are tangata whenua – the people of the land. Our whakapapa (genealogy) connects us to Papatuānuku (Mother Earth) beneath our feet, and Ranginui (Sky Father) above. Our tīpuna (ancestors) guide us; they walk alongside us in this world and shine above us as stars in the heavens.

We are never alone.

Our identity is not something we wear only in our communities – it is woven into everything we are, wherever we go. It shapes how we think, how we live, and how we treat others. It is not a burden, but a gift.

Despite the impact of colonisation – which sought to sever our ties to our language, tikanga, and whenua – our people stood firm. We fought, and continue to fight, to protect and reclaim what is ours: our reo, our traditions, our lands, our identity.

And now, it is our turn.

We stand proudly so that our descendants will grow up knowing who they are, where they come from, and where they belong. We will ensure they have a Tūrangawaewae – a place to stand – on their ancestral lands. We carry the responsibility of legacy with aroha, resilience, and strength.

As Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, we also recognise our place within a global collective. We honour the struggles and triumphs of Indigenous peoples across the world, and we uplift the reclamation of Indigenous languages, cultures, and identities everywhere.

We are proud of the next generation – fearless, articulate, and empowered – who are using their voices to build a better future for all.

When we gather as whānau, hapū, and iwi, we:

• Wānanga – Learn, share, and pass down knowledge to keep our traditions alive.
• Manaaki – Care for and celebrate each other, especially our kaumatua (elders) and tamariki (children).
• Tangi – Grieve and honour those who pass into the next realm.
• Whakawhiti kōrero – Debate, discuss, and seek collective solutions to challenges we face.
• Tūrangawaewae – Reclaim our connection to the whenua, ensuring our people have a place of belonging for generations to come.

We will never change who we are. But by staying true to our culture and the teachings of our ancestors, we will change the world’s perception of us.

No Aotearoa au – I am an indigenous person of Aotearoa!