'This is a positive sign of progress for both the economy and Aotearoa in general'
Demand for Tikanga skills in workplaces made a staggering 1,085% increase between 2014 and 2023 in New Zealand, according to a new study from Tokona te Raki.
The "Data Insights of the Demand for Te Ao Māori Skills in the Workforce" study, which used data from Lightcast, found that Te Wananga o Aotearoa, the New Zealand Government, and Oranga Tamariki were the top employers requiring Tikanga skills.
The study made the findings after looking into job listings requiring te reo, Tikanga skills, and knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Stuff reported.
The overall growth in demand for te ao Māori skills from 2014 to 2023 was 755%, with a 288% hike recorded for job ads asking for knowledge of Te Tiriti.
Eruera Tarena, Tokona Te Raki executive director, said the findings were "not surprising" given the societal shift over the past decade.
"This is a positive sign of progress for both the economy and Aotearoa in general," Tarena told Stuff.
Arriving amid uncertainty
But the growth in demand also came amid controversies surrounding the coalition government over the Treaty of Waitangi, Stuff reported.
In 2023, a Ministry of Justice document that unveiled the government's "intentions to erase Te Tiriti o Waitangi" was leaked.
The controversial document has led to a lukewarm reception to the coalition government during their visit to Waitangi on Monday, where they were met with messages of protest, Radio New Zealand reported.
The government also drew flak after a leaked memo from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was shown telling employees to stop using te reo Māori, according to another RNZ report.
Amy Knudsen (Ngāi Tahu), Tokona te Raki rangatahi social innovator, told Stuff that 2023 was a "year of uncertainty" following the change of government.
"But, we still see there's a growth in the demand for these skills," Knudsen, who led the study, told Stuff.
"I hope from the statistics the demand will keep growing, and we'll end up with a really beautiful Aotearoa backed by our tikanga and the way we do things."
