“Co-Designing the Future: Tamariki Māori Could Lead the Way in AI and Education”

In a small rural community in Taitokerau, the Far North of Aotearoa, New Zealand, something extraordinary happened. Tamariki Māori, Māori children — often excluded from global tech conversations — gathered to begin the journey of imagining their future with artificial intelligence. Māori Lab, a kaupapa Māori organisation bringing cultural intelligence to emerging technologies, hosted a one-of-a-kind AI hakathon grounded in Indigenous values and practical know-how.

We have called this process "Whakatututanga" - Have a Go, so Haere Tonu - Let's Go!

What these tamariki shared could change how we teach AI — and who gets to shape it.

The Challenge - from consumers to creators of technology!

Children, Indigenous, rural, infact many communities are often on the receiving end of technology — not co-designers of it, or even how they might learn about such technologies. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is accelerating. From chatbots to automation, AI is shaping education, employment, and culture.

But what would it look like if Māori values led AI design? If tamariki themselves helped define what digital skills are important, and how they should be taught?

What We Did: we asked What can Māori values do for AI, and what can AI do for Māori.

With Kevin Shedlock, a genius AI expert and whānaunga lecturing at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University, Wellington, support from Foundation North, and in collaboration with two kura Māori, Māori schools, and our hāpori, our community of elders through to parents and the curious, Māori Lab ran an AI and digital tech hakathon, designed for and with tamariki Māori aged 11–13. The day was a mix of:

• Whakatututanga - Interactive learning with VR and AI tools and analogue ones

• Whakawhānaungatanga: connection and collaboration across kura

• Mahitahi - Creative thinking and co-design sessions

• Tikanga Māori - Values exploration: asking, “What matters most to us as Māori in a digital world?”

OUR CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS

That everyone especially the tamariki had fun, that they wanted to know more, and the kaiako would not feel this was another thing to burden their heavy workload.

What the Tamariki Told Us.

We listened deeply. Here’s what they shared:

“The VR is crazy!”

“I can’t believe there is no right or wrong answer, that we can just make stuff up.”

“I had fun because of the whānaungatanga with the other kura.” 

“It’s cool to be around Te Ao Māori and think about how that can help something like AI.” 

“I learned how to figure things out on my own.” 🗣️ “It made me more open and curious.” 

"Am I allowed to break this?"

They expressed joy, confidence, a sense of agency — and an eagerness to learn more. They showed us that Māori values like manaaki, whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga, and rangatiratanga can guide how AI is taught — and what kind of AI we build.

📚 Why It Matters

This hakathon wasn’t just a one-off. It was a proof of concept. We learned that:

• Hands-on tech experiences spark confidence, joy in learning will lead to better outcomes.

• Cultural grounding creates relevance and safety, which will lead to innovation.

• Tamariki want to lead, not just follow.

• Everyone had fun, them, the kaiako-teachers, our kuia-kaumātua-elders, us! 

In fact the teachers said they want the same process to upskill in the tech AND to co-create how to better teach. This means that focussing on children can upskill a whole community. It’s a win-win-win!

This project reflects a global truth: If children are going to live in a world shaped by AI, they must be part of shaping it — Indigenous children brought up knowing their culture have values, and ways of knowing and doing that offer powerful alternatives to current AI design norms, and purposes.

What’s Next

This was just the beginning. Māori Lab is now wanting to continue:

• Co-designing a Māori and tamariki-led AI education curriculum

• Collaborating with Industry and Academic experts so they, with the tamariki and their kaiako, and us, have collaborated together to create a new pathway into AI or technical and computer sciences, or internships or apprenticeships, where the tamariki and the Tertiary Organisations and future Employers are READY for these kinds of curious, innovative, responsible, independent thinking, young people. And the tamariki are READY to be just that.

• Collaborating with international Indigenous AI networks, so we can share resources and knowledge.

• Developing tools and insights to share globally

🤝 Join Us

We’re building an inclusive future — one where tamariki Māori lead in the age of AI. But we can’t do it alone.

📨 Want to kōrero, support, partner or invest? sara@maorilab.maori.nz 

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