
He aha te mahi?
What is Whakahaumanu a Hineahuone?
Whakahaumanu a Hineahuone is a two-year Tiriti-dynamic project supporting small and medium-scale composting initiatives across Aotearoa to make mauri-rich compost for local soil and food sovereignty initiatives.
The first stage of the project is setting up several pilot projects across the motu. The second stage of the project is the long term establishment of over 100 composting hubs across Aotearoa.

Ko Ngā Pou Tikanga
Our Guiding Framework
Te Mana me te Mauri o Hineahuone
This pou recognises the mana and mauri of Hineahuone, and that soil sovereignty, quality of composting and restoration of soil is also important for the restoration of our people
Kai Atua | Food Sovereignty
This pou recognises the connection between composting, food security and sovereignty.
Whanaungatanga | Relationships, Partnerships
This pou describes our growing network, the skills and capacity to create sustainable enterprises, with hapū engagement at its core.
Hei aha ai i te hirahira tēnei?
Why is this important?
Whakahaumanu a Hineahuone aims to strengthen whakapapa connections to Hineahuone by revitalising composting as a taonga tuku iho (a treasure passed down to us by our ancestors).
The project seeks to restore the mana and mauri of our soils, enabling food sovereignty, and building Tiriti-dynamic partnerships that uphold tino rangatiratanga and support the aspirations of whānau, hapū, and iwi to care for our people and our environment.
E pehea ana au ki te whai wāhi?
How can I participate?
Please sign up for our regular newsletter to learn more about getting involved.
General query or pātai?
He ara ki te whakamana i te Tiriti
A Tiriti-Dynamic Approach
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a foundational document of New Zealand which affirms the pre-existing mana and rangatiratanga of hapū within their rohe.
A Tiriti-dynamic approach includes centering, respecting and protecting tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori, and seeing both as taiao-informed. It also means providing opportunities for learning about and connecting with Whenua, Atua and Taiao.
This learning should take a tikanga Māori and Māori-led approach and value Māori ways of knowing and being in the world. It’s also important that this learning takes place in relationship with one another and the whenua. The three key pou of Whakahaumanu a Hineahuone provide the groundwork from which we will communicate and work in a Tiriti-dynamic way. Read more about our approach>>
Nō hea te whakapapa o te ingoa?
Where does the name come from?
He whakaniko i te mauri o Hineahuone mā te mahi wairākau.
Enhancing the mauri of Hineahuone through composting.
Our project vision was inspired by kōrero from Shane Cassidy (Te Ati Awa, Ngāpuhi) and the name was gifted to us by him. He whakamana i te whānau, te hapū, te iwi, me te hapori Māori mā te wairakau hei whakaniko i te mauri o Hineahuone. Our kaupapa is about empowering whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori Māori (through composting) to enhance the mauri of Hineahuone.
Ko wai mātou?
Who are we?
The project is a collaboration between Zero Waste Aotearoa, Para Kore Marae, Te Waka Kai Ora, and Aotearoa Composters Network, referred to collectively as the Kāhui.


Ngā Kaimahi
Our people
Kāhui Kaihautū | Governance

Bailey Peryman
Aotearoa Composters Network

Toni Love
Para Kore

Rob Small
Te Waka Kai Ora

Kelli Pike
Zero Waste Network
Kāhui Kaihoe | Operations

Hollie Russell
Project Lead

Stephanie Gibson
Project Support

Liam Prince
Pilot Lead

Faren Taylor
Evaluation Lead
Ngā Kaitautoko
Our Funders
Funding is provided by the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund and the Clare Foundation.