Reflections on Te Whiringa

We commissioned pottery bowls from Nicole Gaston, Wellington-based potter (Nice Assets), to symbolically weave together our Collective and honour the piece of whaikōrero that inspires our name: E kore, e kore, e kore hiakai - There shall never, ever be any hunger for our people.

In early July, Kore Hiakai hosted Te Whiringa, a two-day national hui held at Zealandia – Te Māra a Tāne in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. We gathered new members to launch our Collective, alongside longtime friends, curious newcomers, our Kai Rawa trustees, and the Kore Hiakai kaimahi unit. We also acknowledge those who couldn’t be there but are a valued part of this journey.  

One of our aims was to weave together a diverse tapestry of people from across the food and equity systems. In doing so, we hoped to disrupt our collective thinking and explore how joined-up solutions across sectors and perspectives might create a food secure Aotearoa. 

The result? A room full of eclectic, wonderful humans - some unsure of what lay ahead, but all willing to take a peek, to connect with each other, to see what might fit, and to perhaps take a tentative first step together. Check out more photos here to see the magic come to life. 

Kore Hiakai is deeply grateful to everyone who made the journey to be with us, acknowledging the sacrifice and commitment it takes to dedicate two full days to exploring our way together. This hui was a formative step toward discovering what it truly means for Kore Hiakai to be a Collective. 

We held space to listen deeply, to honour each other, and to live out our commitment to the three-house model. At Kore Hiakai, we believe that a food secure Aotearoa must be grounded in a living Te Tiriti partnership. We also recognise that food insecurity disproportionately affects Pasifika (Tagata Moana) communities in Aotearoa. This is why Kai Rawa and Kore Hiakai choose to approach our mahi and decision-making through three tikanga lenses: Tangata Whenua, Tagata Moana, and Tangata Tiriti. 

At Te Whiringa, we spent part of our time within these three tikanga-based "houses." We didn’t always get it right - at times we stepped on each other’s toes and mana. There were moments that called for pause, for reset, and for acknowledging unfinished business. That, too, was part of the journey. 

We formalised the belonging of new members to launch our Collective - meet them here and find out how to join here.

We shared delicious, simple vegetarian meals - an echo of the hard choices many whānau experiencing food insecurity make to forego meat. The food, prepared by Everybody Eats, was fresh, abundant, and nourishing. Their kaupapa of addressing food waste, food poverty and inviting everybody to the kai table aligns beautifully with our values. We were also blessed with crisp, sunny winter weather surrounded by the picturesque bush canopy of Zealandia. We drew inspiration from Zealandia’s 500-year vision to restore the indigenous habitat of Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui - reminding us that we too can make bold, intergenerational commitments to honour te Taiao. 

Throughout the hui, meaningful connections were made. Some have already sparked new partnerships and collective actions across the motu. Plans are emerging for shared research, skill exchanges, and collaborative projects. What’s more, we’re excited to see that the Kore Hiakai kaimahi are not necessarily at the centre of them all! That’s the power of a Collective: to take flight, together. 

At the close of our time together, nine organisations publicly committed to formally joining the Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective. In the days following, eight more expressed interest in entering that process. If you’re keen to join them, find out more here and get in touch. We are finding ways to bring the Collective together over the coming year. 

Te Whiringa held both joy and challenge. What mattered most was our willingness to be honest, to listen, to walk together —as mana whenua, social services, foodbanks, budgeters, food rescues, community gardens and kitchens, environmental groups, communicators, academics, growers, vets, farmers, systems thinkers, funders, government officials, trainers, innovators, dreamers, vets, and more. The fruits of this collective knowledge - gathered for a brief moment - are still ripening. 

Thank you again to everyone who spent time with us. We look forward to deepening our relationships across the motu and continuing our shared journey toward a food secure Aotearoa New Zealand.