Cards the business for young entrepreneurs

Want to test your knowledge of Ngati Porou while learning more? Try out the new card game Haati Naati created by YES company Tarima which is made up of, from left, Maikel Terekia, Honore Ingle, Te Aturangi Peters and Mahara Kururangi. Picture by Paul Rickard

Two new products created by students of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Horouta Wānanga have been launched that focus on different aspects of te ao Māori to help with knowledge of Ngāti Poroutanga and help with mental wellbeing.

The products have come about as part of the Young Enterprise Scheme kaupapa.

One, a card game called Haati Naati from the company Tarima, aims to reconnect thousands of Ngāti Porou youth with their whakapapa.

Tarima is made up of CEO Omaio Waititi, chief financial officer Honore Ingle, Te Aturangi Peters (sales), Mahara Kururangi (production and communication) and Maikel Terekia (marketing).

Cards have been carefully crafted that feature marae and pepeha, immersive actions and strategic gameplay which promises to captivate players and open doorways to their “Naati-ness”.

Haati Naati  features 48 different Ngāti Porou marae from Te Toka a Taiau to Potikirua (Ngāti Porou rohe). Players must use their wits and tactical thinking to outsmart their opponents, all the while actively learning about their own Ngāti Poroutanga.

“Like our tūpuna Māui, rules are made to be broken and it’s no holds barred,” said Mahara Kururangi.

The other product is a haka card collectable series named Pou Hiringa which inspires rangatahi to wellness. This was created by YES company Tuia.

Tuia is run by Arohea Pewhairangi who is the CEO, marketer and sales, and Shadei Wynyard who looks after production, finance and communications for the company.

“Tairāwhiti youth who battle with mental health issues have grown exponentially over the last four years and it is our mission to connect them with role models that will help motivate, captivate and inspire,” said company CEO Arohea Pewhairangi.

Tuia’s Pou Hiringa series will link youth via QR codes on the cards to a website that features videos from select role models sharing their journey and how haka has helped them work through their own mental health issues.

From the website rangatahi can access links to local organisations that can help, and to social media platforms that enable youth to share their journey with others.

Lining up with Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, the week to celebrate and promote the Māori Language, both companies say “He taonga te reo! Whakanuia ka tika!” which means “our reo is a treasure and as such should be celebrated.”

The student companies launched their products at Te Piko o te Mahuri, a celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation that was held at Te Poho o Rawiri Marae last week.

“Te Piko o te Mahuri was a resounding success that celebrated our businesses, all the while raising funds for our primary school kapa haka roopu, Te Kapa Hurutea o Horouta Wānanga, going to primary Kapa Haka Nationals in Nelson in Term 4,” said kaiārahi (teacher) Brandon Terekia.

More than 500 people turned up to support their kaupapa, including other community groups who held information stalls.

“It was mind-blowingly awesome. We were truly humbled by the support.”

People can order Haati Naati cards online through their website  www.haatinaati.nz

Tuia are in the process of building relationships with key community groups to benefit the youth they are trying to whakaora, they are planning to start selling in 2024 but encourage people to join their team at www.pouhiringa.nz