Oranga Matihiko
Where Creativity Meets Kaupapa
Our programmes take rangatahi on a haerenga through the world of digital technology—exploring toi matihiko, online safety, content creation, pakihi ā-ipurangi (digital entrepreneurship) and so much more.
Whether you’re dreaming up your own kēmu, designing digital art, or mastering the tools to share your kōrero online, there’s a space here for mātauranga, auahatanga, and mana to grow.
Guided by kaupapa Māori values like manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and kaitiakitanga, each experience is designed to uplift, inspire, and prepare rangatahi for the future—both in the tech world and within their hapori.
Programmes
Tuakiritanga
Tuakiritanga is the heartbeat of Oranga Matihiko—a kaupapa that empowers rangatahi to explore and express their identity through creative technologies. Rooted in te ao Māori, this programme transforms digital tools into mirrors of whakapapa, mana, and cultural pride. From immersive art and gaming to storytelling in virtual worlds, Tuakiritanga invites our young people to lead with who they are, build with what they know, and thrive in spaces where culture and tech converge.
Through relational learning, collective care, and digital creativity, Tuakiritanga doesn’t just teach—it awakens. It’s where rangatahi reclaim their narratives, rewrite futures, and connect with others in brave, culturally grounded ways.
I-Ātea/Esports
Our Oranga Matihiko esports programme is a kaupapa Māori-driven space where rangatahi explore competitive gaming, broadcasting, live-streaming, and digital content creation—all while strengthening their identity and wellbeing.
Delivered in partnership with Te Papatipu Matihiko and Digital Natives Academy, the programme blends high-performance gaming with te reo Māori, tikanga, and Te Tiriti-based learning. Tauira gain hands-on experience with professional level gear, collaborate via Discord, and build skills in digital storytelling and video production.
This isn’t just about playing games—it’s about unlocking leadership, teamwork, and hauora through a digital lens. Rangatahi learn to navigate online spaces safely, express themselves creatively, and explore career pathways in the growing esports industry. With support from the NZ Esports Federation and local champions, Oranga Matihiko is helping shape the next generation of Māori tech leaders.
At the heart of it all are our values: whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, rangatiratanga, and wairuatanga—woven into every match, every kōrero, and every win.
2D & 3D Creative Arts
Our 2D & 3D Creative Arts programme is a kaupapa Māori-led space where rangatahi express identity through visual storytelling, illustration, animation, and digital design. Whether shaping whakapapa-based characters or building immersive worlds, tauira use creative tech to connect to self, culture, and community.
Delivered in partnership with Ultramega, the programme integrates te reo Māori, tikanga, and Te Tiriti-informed design thinking. Tauira gain hands-on experience in vector and raster art, 3D sculpting, and mixed-media creation using professional platforms like Blender, Illustrator, and Canva—while collaborating in supportive spaces like Discord.
Art becomes a vessel for leadership, confidence, and hauora. Through creative exploration, rangatahi engage with concepts of identity and expression, all while developing transferable skills in software navigation, design thinking, and digital storytelling. These experiences lay the foundation for pathways into animation, game development, digital fashion, and other tech-driven industries—guided by whānau, mentors, and kaupapa-aligned creatives.
Video Editing & Live Streaming
Our Video Editing & Broadcasting programme is a creative tech space where rangatahi dive into the world of filming, editing, livestreaming, and digital storytelling. From documenting kaupapa-driven kōrero to crafting narrative-led content, tauira harness the power of video to amplify voice, identity and connection.
Guided by tikanga Māori and Te Tiriti-informed practices, tauira build real-world skills using professional tools like OBS Studio, DaVinci Resolve and YouTube. Whether they’re refining transitions or adjusting audio tracks, each tauira brings their own lens—cultivating a deeper connection to themselves and the stories they choose to tell.
Projects evolve into vessels for pūrākau, emotion, and timing. Rangatahi explore the rhythm of storytelling, synchronise edits with whakapapa and develop the confidence to shape culturally grounded narratives. These creative journeys lay pathways into kaupapa-aligned media, broadcasting and tech-focused careers that centre who they are.
At the heart of it all are our values: whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, rangatiratanga and wairuatang. Woven into every edit, every kōrero and every frame.
Virtual Reality (VR)
Our VR programme invites rangatahi to step into immersive worlds where culture, creativity and technology converge. Using virtual reality as a storytelling vessel, tauira engage with interactive environments that explore whakapapa, pūrākau and te ao tūroa from entirely new perspectives.
Tauira experiment with spatial design, virtual sculpture, and narrative flow—bringing their stories to life in three dimensions. From crafting visual environments to shaping interactive sequences, they explore how movement, setting and mood can reflect identity and intention. Tikanga guides every stage, fostering creativity that’s deeply rooted in culture rather than code.
Immersive learning opens up new dimensions of identity and imagination. Rather than observing from the outside, rangatahi become part of the narrative—walking through ancestral lands, activating stories through interaction, and designing culturally grounded experiences that reflect who they are. These worlds become pathways for hauora, innovation, and future careers in game design, education, and tech.
At the heart of it all are our values: whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, rangatiratanga, and wairuatanga—woven into every scene, every action and every journey taken.
Heat Press Printing (HPP)
Our Oranga Matihiko HPP programme is a hands-on space where rangatahi design, print, and wear their own kaupapa-driven creations. By combining digital design with real-world output, tauira explore fashion as a vehicle for identity, creativity and entrepreneurship.
Tauira learn the full production journey—from conceptual layouts to wearable design—using tools like Canva, Illustrator, and heat press machinery. Visual elements often draw from pepeha, pūrākau and personal insights, transforming textiles into reflections of whakapapa, tikanga and cultural pride. Each wānanga is framed by kaupapa Māori values and delivered in a collaborative, mana-enhancing space.
Designs become declarations—expressing mana, heritage, and aspiration with every print. Rangatahi take ownership of their narratives not just through words, but through wearable art that speaks for them. The process nurtures creative confidence, practical skills, and pathways into kaupapa-led branding, merchandising, and design futures.
At the heart of it all are our values: whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, rangatiratanga, and wairuatanga—woven into every garment, every hui and every press.
Digital Entrepreneurship
Digital Entrepreneurship is also available as an extension for tauira looking to activate kaupapa led business thinking. This explores ideation, branding, pitching, and the use of digital platforms to communicate value and purpose.
Rangatahi learn how to express their ideas in market-ready formats, build culturally resonant campaigns, and develop the confidence to take their visions from concept to community impact.
Oranga Matihiko
In this ever-changing world, we are committed to providing future generations with the best opportunities to flourish and shine. Here, we work alongside our rangatahi to ensure their pathways are clear and well-supported.
Quick Links
Contact Us
131 South Road Spotswood
Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
office@orangamatihiko.org
Oranga Matihiko 2025 l New Plymouth, Taranaki