EHF Welcomes 95 Fellows in March Welcome Experience
24 March 2023The Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF) has welcomed 95 Fellows into the Fellowship during its March Welcome Experience in Lower Hutt. After interacting with each other online for several years, Fellows participated in a three-day immersive experience, building meaningful connections and growing their understanding of Aotearoa as a bi-cultural nation and a basecamp for global impact.
Facilitator Mikaere Paki guiding Fellows as to the mihi whakatau. Image by Fellow Chris Gagne
The Welcome Experience began with a mihi whakatau from Te Āti Awa Taranaki Whānui - EHF’s iwi partners - welcoming Fellows and introducing them to tikanga Māori (Māori customs, practice) and te ao Māori (Māori world view). Fellows also experienced whakawhanaungatanga (process of establishing relationships), where they introduced themselves and spoke to their whakapapa (genealogy). Fellow Jase Te Patu responded to Te Āti Awa on behalf of the Fellows to acknowledge mana whenua (indigenous people of a specific area) and expressed gratitude for the manaakitanga (hospitality, generosity, support). During the kōrero (discussion) Te Āti Awa kaumātua, Matiu Tahi emphasised the importance of building lasting connections during their time together, so as to create impact for future generations.
Te Āti Awa kaumātua Matiu Tahi addresses Fellows at the mihi whakatau. Image by Fellow Chris Gagne.
Te Āti Awa also generously gifted the group its name Manu Tukutuku.
Manu - Bird, Tukutuku - Weave (contributing to the world) - Manu Tukutuku: Birds of contribution and generosity (world growers).
The name infers to the bringing together of people. The intricate weaving of everything you bring to this space, and the knowledge that we are one part of something so much greater than ourselves.
Manu Tukutuku is also a kite.
Tukutuku referring to the winding out of the line as the kite climbs. In reference to our collective journey as we have grown together over the past three years and as we shall continue to build on together.
Manu Tukutuku comprises a diverse mix of Fellows from more than 20 nationalities, including Singapore, Botswana, China, the US, and India, to name a few. Each Fellow brings connections, knowledge and experience from high-value sectors, ranging from renewable energy, filmmaking, cleantech, blockchain, AI, regenerative agriculture, biotechnology, mobility investment as well as Fellows disrupting and redesigning systems, like education and finance, and fighting for causes such as climate justice.
For renowned documentary filmmaker and humanitarian Petr Lom (Canada, Netherlands), the past few years of interacting with his fellow Fellows has been via tiny squares of faces on a screen. The opportunity to be together in person was what he was most looking forward to.
“To be in a physical space where everybody has so much energy and infectious idealism is extraordinary. We could only share that energy online before, and even then it was ‘wow, these people are amazing’, so now we’re doing it in person, that energy is amplified times a thousand,” he said.
“The discussions and the content from each Fellow is fascinating. All these people are so dedicated to doing the things they’re passionate about.” he added.
Manu Tukutuku Fellow and international documentary filmmaker, Petr Lom (left) sitting with Fellow Jyoti Morningstar (right). Image by Fellow Chris Gagne.
The power of being together in person was mirrored by thought leader in mobility safety Ricardo Wang (Singapore), who was re-energised through his Welcome Experience to create impact within Aotearoa NZ.
“It has been amazing to meet so many like-minded and interesting people. I have a lot to learn from my fellow Fellows, and I’ve been motivated to think differently about how success is defined. It isn’t always about the bottom line, there are other things in life that are more meaningful and contributory, and everyone of us wants to be able to contribute. I know about the fatalities on New Zealand roads, and the number is too high. I can do something to help that.”
Manu Tukutuku Fellow and thought leader in public transportation policy and safety, Ricardo Wang (right). Image by Erica Austin.
Many Fellows were profoundly affected by learning about te ao Māori and the need for positive Treaty partner relationship with Māori. Cosmetics sustainability pioneer Tiila Abbitt (USA) noted the experience had grown her understanding of New Zealand’s history and how having Te Tiriti (the Treaty) made New Zealand so unique.
“It has been really interesting to see and experience the relationship between Māori and EHF, and how much the culture is included in the Welcome Experience and the role this plays in educating Fellows.”
Manu Tukutuku Fellow and cosmetics sustainability pioneer, Tiila Abbitt. Image by Erica Austin.
Founder of Businesses for Climate Action Chloe Van Dyke (NZ) was excited about the opportunity to bring together ‘great global minds’, but have them grounded in whakaaro Māori (Māori ways of thinking).
“There’s been a real focus on Te Reo Māori and te ao Māori and I’ve loved seeing how people from throughout the world are resonating with that. And how that’s forming the base of the kawa (protocol) of what we’re trying to achieve here. By having that as a strong foundation, it means that we can go forth and create,” she said.
Manu Tukutuku Fellow and Founder of Businesses for Climate Action, Chloe Van Dyke (right) with Fellow Dave Williams (right). Image by Fellow Chris Gagne.
Hillary Institute and Edmund Hillary Fellowship CEO, Rosalie Nelson notes that the Welcome Experience is designed to create a sense of belonging and is an opportunity for Fellows to develop deep connections with each other; it is also an experience to help build an understanding of Aotearoa NZ as a bi-cultural nation, based on Te Tiriti o Waitangi as New Zealand’s founding constitutional document. She believes the Welcome Experience will leave some of the Fellows feeling deeply impacted.
“For many of our Fellows, learning about indigenous Māori wisdom was the most profound experience of their time here. I’m thrilled about this, because it is so important, as a bi-cultural nation, for us to create better understanding and competence within our Fellowship.”
Commenting on the energy within the group, the largest number of Fellows at a Welcome Experience to date, Rosalie added: “There were fascinating, in-depth conversations going on that were addressing some of the really critical issues that we need to be thinking about, such as the future of AI, economic systems and cultural identities, and climate education. It was invigorating to see the way in which everyone was learning from each other, and the energy in the room was pulsating with that real sense of potential to work together to drive collective impact.”
The EHF team acknowledges and is grateful to Matiu Tahi of Te Āti Awa for his warmth and wisdom, Mikaere Paki and Sharn Maree for their thoughtful and beautiful facilitation of the Welcome Experience and for generously sharing their mātauranga (knowledge), Fellow Faumuina Felolini Maria Tafuna’i and Lopeti Sumner of Flying Geese for their awesome Treaty wayfinding expertise and facilitation support, and Paul Conway from the Reserve Bank for his overview of New Zealand’s economy and his insights on the value of creating impact.
As part of the wider Welcome Experience events programme, EHF is grateful to its partners Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Kāpiti Coast District Council who have supported with in-person Business Days creating connections and helping grow understanding of New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem, regions and opportunities to create impact.