Dr Te Rina Warren appointed as new Te Mātāwai Board member
Media release
Te Mātāwai co-chairs, Mātai Smith and Brenda Soutar, welcome Dr Te Rina Warren (Rangitāne, Maniapoto, Mōkai Pātea - Whitikaupeka) as the newest member to the Te Mātāwai Board.
Dr Warren is a crown-appointed representative, appointed by the Minister for Māori Development Hon Tama Potaka. She joins Te Mātāwai with extensive expertise in Māori and Indigenous education, digital cultural research and community development, bringing important perspectives and robust knowledge to support the Board’s vision to advance intergenerational transmission and connected Māori language communities.
Te Mātāwai Hoa-Toihau, Brenda Soutar says, “Te Rina has restored te reo Māori as a nurturing first language in her homes and community, raising her daughter in te reo Māori, through the Te Matakahuki pathway, from kōhanga reo to kura kaupapa Māori. For more than 25 years, Te Rina has and continues to be highly effective in her role as an active contributor to the Te Aho Matua approach.”
With strong ties to iwi and marae and active involvement in kura kaupapa Māori education, Dr Warren’s professional practice is grounded in community connection and cultural leadership.
A central theme of her work at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa - Massey University has been the evolution of tikanga Māori in contemporary settings, decolonisation and providing counter‑narratives to myths and colonial legacies. Through her teachings, Dr Te Rina Warren is shaping ways in which Māori identity, language, and governance are understood and lived today.
The Board would like to acknowledge Reikura Kahi, outgoing Ministerial appointee, for her significant contribution to the board since joining in May 2019, including as co-chair from January 2021 until August 2025.
Reikura also held many roles beyond Te Mātāwai, all of which support the revitalisation of te reo Māori at many levels, ultimately helping whānau realise their potential.
ENDS