Andrea Rongonui, director of GO Media, with Māori King Tūheitia at the 2023 awards.
Andrea Rongonui, director of GO Media, with Māori King Tūheitia at the 2023 awards.
The Māori Businesswomen’s Awards will be held in Pōneke (Wellington) in October, as a new report shows wāhine Māori entrepreneurs have contributed billions to the growing Māori economy.
Te Ōhanga Wāhine Māori – the Māori Women’s Economy (2024), led by the Ministry for Women and Business and Economic Research, estimated that in 2022, paid or unpaid mahi by wāhine Māori entrepreneurs totalled $5.9 billion – including $1.9 billion from the business sector. The report says wāhine Māori are vital to Aotearoa New Zealand’s economic growth.
Māori Businesswomen’s Development Inc (MWDI) general manager Linda Clay (Ngāti Awa, Te Whakatōhea) said the significant economic and social impact of wāhine kaipakihi – entrepreneurs – is testament to the “perseverance and brilliance of our Māori wāhine”.
Māori Businesswomen’s Development Inc (MWDI) general manager Linda Clay.
“Over the years, we have been delighted with the number of inspirational wāhine who are being nominated by their communities or aren’t shy to be proud of their own mahi,” Clay said.
“These times haven’t been the easiest for businesses, which is why it’s more important than ever to celebrate wāhine Māori in business.”
The 17 awards are split over eight regions and nine categories. MWDI encourages self-submitted or nominated submissions of exemplary wāhine Māori-owned businesses to be submitted by August 25 and can be made through the nomination form.
Award winners and nominees from previous years are living examples of the MWDI purpose – to encourage equitable contribution to the successes of Aotearoa by fostering the economic development of wāhine Māori and their whānau.
One of these is Andrea Rongonui (Rātana, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), director of GO Media, and winner of the 2023 Innovation, Social Enterprise, and Supreme award categories.
“Personally, this award has been a source of immense pride and motivation, reigniting my perseverance and resilience in the journey of entrepreneurship. It has inspired me to continue pushing boundaries and making a positive difference in our community and beyond,” said Rongonui.
Māori Businesswomen’s Development Inc.
The report says wāhine kaipakihi are not only trailblazing in the business world, but they are succeeding with Te Ao Māori guiding their way. Wāhine Māori place Te Ao Māori, te reo, and Mātauranga Māori as significant to their day-to-day, and recognise these factors as important for intergenerational passageways.
The Te Ōhanga Wāhine Māori report also sparks hope for a future with more thriving wāhine-led Māori businesses due to a young, fast-growing wāhine Māori population that continues to seek higher education at increasing rates. This will in turn provide better outcomes for Māori, noted Clay.
“We know from Te Puni Kōkiri research that, on average, Māori are three times more likely to be employed in a Māori-owned business than a non-Māori owned business.
“Ensuring that we celebrate the wāhine Māori who are successfully running a business is not only important for these wāhine, but for the collective Māori economy.”
Winners will be announced at the Tākina Convention Centre in Wellington on October 25.
Tickets to MWDI Māori Businesswomen’s Awards 2024 are available now from Eventbrite. For further information, go to www.mwdi.co.nz/awards24.
