Celebrating success: Māori businesses recognised in upcoming Northland awards

Reid Builders was the 2023 supreme award winner of the Te Tai Tokerau Māori Business Awards.

The heartland for Māori culture and enterprise, Northland, is celebrating Māori business success with the Te Tai Tokerau Māori Business Awards 2025.

Applications and nominations are now open for the biennial awards, run by Te Hiringa Charitable Trust, with an awards night on March 7 at Whangārei’s McKay Stadium.

Trust chair April Erueti said the awards celebrate remarkable achievements and innovation, and showcase the success stories of Māori business leaders, organisations and enterprises making significant contributions to the Māori and national economy.

“This event is about more than just acknowledging success; the awards celebrate the unique blend of tikanga and enterprise that exemplify excellence in their fields, while upholding Māori values and community impact. It’s about celebrating the resilience, creativity and cultural foundations of Māori businesses,” she said.

“Through these awards, we highlight the vital role Māori enterprises play in shaping a thriving and inclusive community and economy.”

Awards MC and Te Hiringa associate Chook Henare said Te Tai Tokerau is the heartland for Māori culture and enterprise, which dates back to before the Treaty of Waitangi.

Māori business is interwoven with Te Ao Māori cultural values, prioritising collective wellbeing, cultural preservation, Te Reo and sustainability to generate economic success, she said.

“Guided by tikanga and kaupapa, profit is important but so too is the ability to uphold manaakitanga (hospitality), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), and the wellbeing of our people and the environment,” Henare said.

“The expectation when people see a Māori business is it’s something a bit different - it carries a legacy and their whakapapa.”

The award categories cover new businesses, not-for-profits, small and larger enterprises, environmental awareness and management, taitamariki development, business leaders as well as the supreme Taitokerau Māori Business of the Year Award.

The 2023 supreme award winner was David Reid and Reid Builders.

Applications and nominations close February 14, with information and tickets available from the Te Hiringa Trust website.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.