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“Māori disproportionately present in negative social statistics. This is unjust and unacceptable. Our services seek to address these inequities by developing your cultural intelligence to engage effectively with Māori.”
He ao poipoi mana tangata - a fair and just society
Kia tūturu te ao tōkeke - leading toward cultural intelligence
Hone’s background is in education, health and human resource management and development having held senior positions in these sectors for nearly 40 years which includes 2 chief executive roles at Rangitāne o Wairarapa, Mandated Iwi Authority, and Whaiora, a health and social services organisation, respectively.
Hone has worked as a consultant to Crown Law at Waitangi Tribunal hearings (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pāhauwera and Wairarapa claimants) and crown visits to foreshore and seabed claims of the Ngāti Porou peoples of the East Coast.
Hone is an expert communicator, presenter and teacher. He is a fluent speaker of Te Reo and has an expert applied knowledge and understanding of Tikanga.
Hone is the founding director of Engaging Well Limited and with his son, Aperahama, enjoy the contributions they make to organisations, groups and individuals who engage with Māori.
Outside of work, Hone enjoys studying mōteatea (archaic poetry), whakapapa (genealogy) and music. He is a singer/composer and playwright and was opera trained at an early age appearing in his first operatic performance when he was 14 years old. Hone enjoys singing with family and friends when the opportunity arises. Hone has 4 tamariki and 3 mokopuna and values whānau dearly.
Aperahama has a strong leadership and education background. He was Head Prefect at Rotorua Boys’ High School, President of the Waikato University Māori Law Students Association, and recipient of several prestigious scholarships including the Ngārimu VC Undergraduate Scholarship and the Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship for excellence in sports. Aperahama has qualifications in law (with First Class Honours) and arts (Te Reo and Tikanga Māori) and was admitted to the bar in 2017.
Aperahama brings a wealth of knowledge in Te Tiriti o Waitangi; he completed a focussed research paper and an Honours Dissertation on this subject while at Waikato University. His practical experience includes working at Kāhui Legal from 2014-2019, a specialist law firm working at the forefront of Māori development and Te Tiriti o Waitangi issues.
Teaching and revitalising te reo is one of Aperahama’s passions. He grew up speaking and studying te reo, taught at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Wairarapa, and tutored at Waikato University. He’s a recent graduate of Te Pōkaitara, the Ngāti Kahungunu School of Māori Excellence, and is a Kura Reo teacher.
Outside of work, Aperahama enjoys spending time with his whānau and friends, keeping fit and healthy, competing in sports and kapa-haka, and diving for kaimoana.
Build a genuine understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Three progressive workshops - Foundation, Implementation and Transformation - for teams ready to go beyond a tick-box exercise.
Practical cultural intelligence training that helps your people engage effectively with Māori - grounded in real experience, not theory alone.
Learn Te Reo Māori in a relaxed, practical way with Engaging Well - designed for workplaces and individuals who want language that actually sticks.
Understand and apply Tikanga Māori with confidence. Engaging Well's Tikanga training covers the "why" behind the practice, not just the "what."
One-on-one mentoring and advice on Te Tiriti, Tikanga and cultural intelligence - tailored support for leaders and organisations, not a one-size-fits-all course.
Engaging Well composes and tutors waiata, haka, karakia and other Māori cultural expressions - for events, teams and organisations wanting to do it right.
