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hono
The Māori Emergency Management Network
Leading with Mātauranga Māori, Responding with Resilience
He Aha a Hono?
What is Hono?
Hono is Aotearoa NZ’s first Māori-led emergency management network, created to support whānau, hapū, and iwi to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and emergencies. Grounded in mātauranga and tikanga Māori, Hono empowers Māori communities to lead local responses, protect taonga, and contribute to a safer, more resilient future — for us all.
“It’s more than a framework — it’s a movement.”
Why Hono?
Disasters don’t affect all communities equally. Māori communities are often first to respond and last to be resourced. Hono exists to change this, connecting and equipping Māori responders, ensuring Māori leadership is embedded in national systems, and building capacity at the local, regional, and global levels.
Our Latest Milestone
Hono is proud to be supported by the 2025 Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund to establish a National Māori Disaster Practitioners Network. This kaupapa responds to the call for more inclusive and effective emergency management, recognising that Māori are often first to respond and last to be included in national systems. Our work will blend disaster science and Indigenous knowledge to build leadership, train practitioners, and embed Māori solutions into national readiness and recovery frameworks.
Tā Mātou Moemoeā | Our Vision
A world where Indigenous wisdom and self-determination protect our people and the environment, drive resilience, and inspire global solidarity in the face of disaster.
Tā Mātou Whakatakanga | Our Mission
To develop and sustain a national Māori Emergency Management Network, rooted in mātauranga and tikanga Māori, that empowers Māori leadership, strengthens capacity, fosters collaboration, and drives innovation to ensure resourced, equitable, and culturally grounded disaster responses.
Ā Mātou Mahi | What We Do
Our work is guided by three Pou (pillars):
1. Whakahau | Empower
Building Māori leadership and capability in emergency management.
2. Tiaki me te Whakaora | Protect and Restore
Protecting taonga, whenua, and whānau through Māori-led responses and recovery
3. Pūnaha Ārahi | Systems and Behaviour Change
Embedding tikanga Māori into disaster systems, research, and governance
Hono Mai | Get Involved
Whether you're part of an iwi, marae, agency, or community group, you can support and be part of Hono:
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Join our Regional Response Network
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Sign up for Māori-led training and capability-building
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Collaborate on local and national emergency plans
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Support Indigenous humanitarian responses across the Pacific
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Take part in our disaster practitioner pilot training and framework development
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Invest in Māori-led solutions
Register you interest in joining Hono below
Sign up to our newsletter below
Contact us at: hono@ttw.nz
Connect.
Care.
Protect.
Honour.
Indigenise.
Takai atu Takai mai | Co-ordinated Incident Management System (CIMS) training
The Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS) is Aotearoa New Zealand’s official framework for managing emergency incidents. It brings together agencies and services involved in a response, such as Fire and Emergency, Police, Ambulance, Civil Defence, iwi responders, and others, under a single structure that helps coordinate people, resources, and actions.
Whether the emergency is a cyclone, wildfire, pandemic, or pest incursion, CIMS provides the model we use to ensure an effective and united response.
Hono and Te Tira Whakamātaki are offering CIMS training tailored for Māori practitioners, emergency managers, and community leaders. Our training centres Māori knowledge, the realities of community-led response, and the need for clear roles in emergencies. We also offer bilingual training options.
Join us to build confidence, grow your emergency management skills, and ensure our whānau, whenua, and taonga are protected when disaster strikes.
Ā Mātou Tīma | Our Team
Meet our small but growing team:
Tautoko i a Hono | Support Hono
We offer a unique opportunity to invest in Indigenous-led solutions that are already working on the ground.
Supporting Hono means:
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Enhancing Māori community resilience
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Building Māori leadership in emergency and disaster response
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Strengthening Pacific and global Indigenous disaster collaborations
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Supporting culturally grounded recovery and protection of people and places
If you want to join us as a partner, funder, sponsor, reach out:
Hono Articles
Read, download, and share disaster-related articles and resources