The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has appointed Te Raukura Hawke as Pou Tikanga, making it the only convention centre in New Zealand with a dedicated cultural advisor within its core team.
The appointment deepens an enduring partnership between NZICC and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the tangata whenua (local people) of Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), and reflects a lived commitment to te ao Māori (Māori worldview).
In 2023, the iwi (tribe) gifted the building its name: Te Tumu, the foundation.
In March 2024, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and SkyCity Auckland formalised their relationship through a kōtuitanga, a strategic agreement embodying the idea of coming together as one, working collaboratively toward common goals, and elevating Tāmaki Makaurau for local and international visitors. Hawke’s appointment is the next expression of this commitment.
A commitment to culture
“For Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, this is a shared milestone for both NZICC and us,” Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei CEO Lisa Davis said.
“Te Raukura brings with him the whakapapa (ancestral lineage), tikanga (customs/protocols) and lived connection to this place that cannot be taught. As tangata whenua, we have always valued the way we welcome and manaaki manuhiri to Tāmaki Makaurau. Seeing that reflected within NZICC helps ensure visitors experience an authentic connection to this place, its people and its stories,” she said.
Te Raukura descends from Ngāti Whātua, Ngapuhi and Tainui. He was born and raised on ancestral lands at Takaparawhau, Ōrākei. A first-language te reo Māori speaker, Te Raukura has spent his career ensuring Māori culture is present in spaces where it has been historically absent.
A uri (descendant) of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, who hold ahi kā (continuous occupation) across central Tāmaki Makaurau, he has a connection to this place at the heart of the role and the perspective he brings to it.
As Pou Tikanga (cultural advisor), he will build cultural capability across the NZICC team, deepening relationships with iwi (tribes) and hapū (sub-tribes). He will ensure the principles of tikanga are embedded in the day-to-day operations and practised as a matter of process rather than solely being activated for occasions.
“This role is about more than cultural integration; it’s about embedding te ao Māori into the fabric of how NZICC operates each day,” Te Raukura said.
“I want people to leave knowing they’ve experienced something real; that the tikanga they experience is carried with integrity, and that Māori culture is upheld with dignity in every kaupapa (principle) we encounter. That’s the invitation I want every person who walks through these doors to feel.”
