Description:

Raranga is an educational gamified toolkit developed to equip kaimahi with the skills and knowledge to assist them on their Tangata Tiriti journeys, with the ultimate goal of improving Māori workplace satisfaction for better systemic outcomes. The kēmu centres learning through collaboration, reflecting the traditional Māori art of raranga. The practice weaves together individual strands of harakeke to create something stronger, symbolising the collective journey towards embodying Te Tiriti. Raranga breaks down hierarchical power dynamics, creating a safe environment for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
The project was born from an observation. Working and studying within large, colonial institutions, I saw firsthand how Māori staff were often expected to carry the cultural responsibilities of entire organisations. This additional burden, known as aronga takirua, reflects a systemic issue. While demand for Te Tiriti o Waitangi knowledge is growing, the responsibility for delivering it disproportionately falls on Māori.
Raranga responds to this inequity by equipping tauiwi with tools to begin or deepen their own Tangata Tiriti journey. While originally developed for a workplace context, the kaupapa extends beyond. Raranga is about building relationships between Māori and tauiwi, between individuals and Te Tiriti, and between intention and action.
The Hautū Waka framework guided the project, a non-linear Indigenous design model using tohu as navigational tools. Developed by Roimata Taniwha-Paoo and Ayla Hoeta, guided by Matua Rereata Makiha, it was designed to navigate complexity through Indigenous practice, building equity and wellbeing into systems. Wānanga was the central method used throughout the design process. These conversational spaces allowed for deeper insight and authentic engagement. The inspiration for the project came from the kinds of open, generative conversations that often arise while practising raranga. Sitting and weaving with my mum became a tohu for the project, through slow, reflective sessions that naturally created space for storytelling, learning, and deep listening.
Playing Raranga, pairs collaborate to weave a takirua strand, competing in memory-based rounds that combine knowledge-sharing with playful learning. The game opens with a Koha Round, where players are gifted karakia and pepeha to ground the session in connection and intent. In the Kupu Round, teams race to define kupu Māori, building vocabulary essential to understanding Te Tiriti. The Tiriti Round is a Jeopardy-style quiz encouraging recall and critical thinking around Treaty concepts. The game ends with a second Koha Round, where players draw a mahi card, a take-home action or reflection to continue their Tangata Tiriti journey. Throughout, teams collect harakeke tokens as they learn, kōrero, and weave together.

The visual identity of Raranga draws from traditional mahi toi. The central takirua motif represents the relationship between Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti. These traditional design elements are paired with bold, contemporary graphics and colours, reflecting the kaupapa. Te Tiriti is not just historical, it is alive, urgent, and active. Raranga invites users to see themselves within the kaupapa and recognise that honouring Te Tiriti requires not just knowledge, but action.