Te rōpū Hikitia introduces their journey to date within law firm Buddle Findlay.

Ko wai mātou

Hikitia is a rōpū within Buddle Findlay that formed to tautoko the Māori workforce, and to tautoko the firm more widely on its journey to grow capability and mātauranga in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. We landed on the name Hikitia on the premise of 'uplifting' our people and the firm on this journey. We have solidified this in a formal paper that identifies ngā mātāpono to navigate us on our continuous journey and ngā whāinga to help measure our progress.

Te ahunga mai

Hikitia was formed by our tūākana, a small rōpū of Ngā Rangahautira alumni who began working together on building cultural capability strategies at Buddle Findlay. Our rōpū has grown from Te Whanganui-a-Tara and now spans across each office from Tāmaki-makau-rau to Ōtautahi. We are made up of Māori and non-Māori kaimahi and we have representation from our legal and business operations teams. There are pockets of leadership for our rōpū across the firm, and we are supported by all levels, from summer clerks to seniors.

In 2024 we began the process of naming our rōpū. We held several wānanga to discuss a new name for this kaupapa, to ensure that it reflected the intent and purpose of the rōpū. We reached out to various people in our own networks for ideas and were very lucky to be gifted the name Hikitia. The name Hikitia resonates with us because our overall purpose has always been to uplift everyone, so everyone feels safe and supported to join and continue this kaupapa within Buddle Findlay.

Ngā take

Our steps are deliberate and rooted in manaakitanga. They are focused on holding space for us and nurturing confidence in ourselves and the firm.  Our rōpū understands that our progress is not going to be swift, but we are committed to steady progress, learning and growing. We do this through waiata practice, Te Tiriti o Waitangi wānanga, weekly te reo Māori lessons offered at various levels, educating our colleagues on tikanga practices and mātauranga Māori, and more. Many of us are Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa members who get mentoring opportunities, access to seminars run by Māori in the law and to attend Hui-ā-Tau together annually. We cherish those moments of whanaungatanga with tauira Māori and building collegial networks with Māori in the law.

Hikitia operates as a collective—leadership is not based on seniority or tenure. Hikitia is uplifted by the contributions of all of us. For example, we have mihimihi for all new starters at the firm where there is whanaungatanga, waiata and plenty of kai to share. This originated from an idea brought about by an admission ceremony and has been built on over the years. Our process has also benefitted from the self-selected papers written by summer clerks, including some who are involved in Te Ranga Huatau this year. The most recent summer clerk paper compares our current process to a mihi whakatau and provides guidance on changes that can be embraced over time.

This is typical of how Hikitia operates. We recognise that people are at different stages of their journey in te ao Māori—which often necessitates taking things slowly so we can bring people along. Our steps, grounded in aroha and manaaki, are how we hold the line and progress for now.

We are lucky to have the wisdom of our kōkā who is the face of the firm and guides us all on this journey. She is our toka tū moana. She has been an important sense check for Hikitia and has helped to build our confidence as a rōpū. A priority of Hikitia is making our spaces feel comfortable for our people when engaging in tikanga new to Buddle Findlay and recognising what is pushing the waka out too far. Sometimes that means we must meet people where they are and invite tikanga and te ao Māori into new spaces. We constantly remind each other that it is better to move forward incrementally, than to remain stationary.

We are pushing for incremental change in a space that is steeped in a history of tradition. A toka tū moana is consistent. A toka tū moana absorbs calm weather and storms alike and continues to stand as a landmark for future generations. The consistency of a toka tū moana is necessary in a space where change is glacial and the path is uncertain. Without our many toka tū moana, neither Hikitia nor Buddle Findlay would be where they are today.

Ngā wero

There is a narrow line between recognising te reo me ōna tikanga and tokenism in a corporate space. The actions we advocate for as Hikitia often feel like gradual steps. While over time, we feel as though Hikitia has brought us a long way from where we started, this system is founded on an often irreconcilably different worldview and underpinning values to te ao Māori. Simultaneously, sometimes it's hard to feel like you're advancing recognition of te reo me ōna tikanga when you see what others are doing in this space. While advocating for incremental change within the system is something, it's hard to shake the feeling that you're implicated by the system. Am I participating in the oppression of my people? Are these incremental steps bringing real change, or are they just pacifying the part of myself that feels guilt while others create real change for te ao Māori?

While there can be that ever-present looming fear that we're the dreaded lawyers who happen to be Māori, the truth is that we can make, encourage and create change in our corporate spaces. Big law firms are key providers of legal services for Māori and there are real opportunities in these places to be part of significant negotiations between the Crown, local government and Māori that advance the interests of our people. There is strength in having Māori lawyers everywhere who can meet Māori take with aroha and manaaki.

Buddle Findlay has a long heritage of being part of significant milestones between the Crown and Māori, including the negotiations leading to conferring legal personality over Te Urewera, Whanganui River and Taranaki Maunga that were held in our Te Whanganui-ā-Tara office. We have a rich history of interesting and important mahi that is always underpinned by building enduring partnerships with Māori and we hold strong relationships with leaders and lawyers in te ao Māori. We are exposed to this mahi and encouraged to be a part of it, including by attending settlement negotiation hui in the early days of being summer clerks. Some practice areas have more engagement with ao Māori issues than others. However, regardless of practice area, there are also opportunities to live our values day to day in the way we engage with each other, our clients and others, with relationships being central to the work that we do. We can nurture meaningful change here, and we are committed to continuing to do so.

We are learning to navigate the system that is our contemporary legal environment and tikanga Māori is central to this. We are proud to work at a firm that understands the importance of strong and effective partnerships with Māori and growing our understanding of tikanga Māori. We are supported through Hikitia and our toka tū moana to build our capacity in ways that go beyond our core legal roles, from te reo classes and waiata sessions, to having access to workshops and seminars that help to educate us and the rest of the firm about Te Tiriti. Not only are these tools helping us to build our skillset as lawyers of Aotearoa working in an evolving legal landscape, but they are also fostering personal growth too, including supporting our journeys in te ao Māori and helping to build confidence in ourselves.

From Hikitia's perspective, ko te kawa ko te aroha ki te tangata. This shift is being embraced throughout the firm. When you go to a Hikitia kaupapa you see the effect it has on people. We had colleagues coming up to us for days after our Matariki morning tea telling us how much they enjoyed it, and wanting to know more kōrero about Matariki. Some steps might feel small for us, but for other people they can be the first step in a long and beautiful journey. For some Māori legal professionals, it might feel like we aren't at the centre of the movement towards a Tiriti-centric Aotearoa, but from the perspective of those we awhi at mahi, they may feel that they are participating in the movement.

Manaaki —respect—is the means by which we can participate in the movement, and advance the recognition of te reo me ōna tikanga from where we stand. Manaakitanga shows people that you're on their side. Manaakitanga eases people into an experience which they perhaps haven't received before. By hearing and seeing our worldview in action, manaaki then enables people to participate in that thinking. And by participating in that thinking, we can hope that manaakitanga will give people the bravery to be advocates in their own worlds.

Ā muri ake nei

Hikitia is still in its growth phase. We are continuing to grow, and expand our capabilities, both as individuals and as a firm by providing a space where people feel welcome to come and learn and experience. We are committed to growing the presence and capacity of Māori at Buddle Findlay, recognising that our strength lies in the collective capability of our people. People across the firm are increasingly receptive and responsive to doing more, and we aim to hiki people to join us on our journey.

We acknowledge the people who have been our toka tū moana in bringing Hikitia to life and driving change in the corporate space. We have been supported by the partners and have benefitted greatly from the contributions of many, including those who have been with us for only a short time but have left a lasting impact on our kaupapa. Their dedication and support have helped shape the path forward, and we look to the future with hope and determination.

Author: Guest Author

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