FOMA Huihuiunga Wāhine

HPCE Aotearoa was proud to partner with the Federation of Māori Authorities (FOMA) to deliver Huihuinga Wāhine last month, a one-day summit designed to uplift, empower, and connect Māori women leaders from across the motu. Held at Tauranga’s iconic Cargo Shed, the event brought together a powerful network of wāhine Māori who are shaping the future of governance, business, and iwi development.

Each year, Huihuinga Wāhine brings together Māori women Chairs, Deputies, CEs, GMs, and trustees from across the nation. The topics delve into economic and commercial matters of importance to Māori women leaders, and the summit is renowned for its inspiring and thought-provoking speakers who unapologetically focus on achievement, success, and Māori development. 

Designed as an inspirational leadership development experience, the summit offers Māori women a one-day format featuring captivating speakers from various industries who have the freedom to speak on a topic that ignites their passion. Through compelling case studies and insightful expert opinions, existing and aspiring female leaders gain inspiration, practical strategies, key skills, and valuable networking opportunities to unlock their full potential. 

With FOMA’s unmatched national connections and enduring relationships, the programme featured a stellar lineup of thought leaders and influential speakers. The day showcased an impressive sequence of speakers and panel discussions, including:

• Keynote, Dr Kyla Matenga

• Dr Siouxsie Wiles PhD MNZM

• The Mataatua Panel featuring Ngaria Rolleston, Parewhati Taikato, and Rona Wheeldon

• Fireside chats with Makita, Chloe & Ahua Butcher-Herries; Nicole Hoey; Rebecca Rolls; and Carmelle Riley

• Opening and closing kōrero from Traci Houpapa MNZM, Maramena Roderick, and Liz Mellish MNZM MK

The programme flowed seamlessly, with rich, honest, and uplifting conversations that resonated strongly with the audience. Every session carried wairua, strength, and authenticity, hallmarks of a FOMA-led event.

The Cargo Shed proved to be an exceptional venue for this year’s summit. As a largely blank-canvas space, it offers immense versatility, allowing us to transform it to suit the kaupapa while still highlighting its industrial-seaside character. For this event, HPCE Aotearoa oriented the room in a landscape-style layout, an approach not commonly used in this venue, allowing guests to enjoy uninterrupted views of the ocean throughout the day.

One of the standout features of the event was the extraordinary catering delivered by Grace & Graze. As an experienced event management team, HPCE Aotearoa has seen a wide range of business-event catering, yet this was truly among the very best.

Grace & Graze created beautifully curated, colourful, and generous platters with flavours that exceeded expectations. Their catering aligned perfectly with a detailed brief, and they offered seamless communication and flawless execution on the day, making our jobs simpler.

Attendees raved about the kai, expressing how it elevated the entire event experience. Grace & Graze delivered not just catering, but hospitality that matched the mana of the kaupapa.

To enhance the atmosphere and showcase local talent, HPCE Aotearoa engaged Arohanoa from Creative Bay of Plenty to curate a bespoke art display for the summit. This addition created a unique, culturally enriched element that guests deeply appreciated.

Arohanoa handled the entire process, sourcing artists, selecting works, coordinating logistics, and designing the layout. The display celebrated local artists and their stories, which attendees could purchase. The art created a beautiful connection between the event kaupapa and the Tauranga Moana arts community, adding vibrancy and visual depth to the venue. This collaboration brought an unexpected but highly valued dimension to the summit.

The Huihuinga Wāhine Summit was a resounding success, delivering a deeply impactful programme, excellent attendance and engagement and elevated hospitality and artistic elements. It successfully blended high-calibre kōrero, cultural richness, elevated hospitality, and visual storytelling to create a leadership event that was both impactful and deeply personal.

The HPCE Aotearoa felt privileged to deliver a seamless event experience, which garnered positive feedback from delegates. Most importantly, however, the event strengthened connections among Māori women leaders nationwide and created a platform for authentic, powerful kōrero. For more information on this event or one of your future events, get in touch with the team.