SUSTAINABLE
ECONOMIC
PROSPERITY
Ko Wai Mātou | About Us
Our Vision
Build Sustainable Economic Prosperity for our members, our communities, and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our Mission
To Create Opportunities for our Members to Prosper and Grow.
Our Value
FOMA assists Māori Businesses to achieve greater returns, increasing exports and GDP. We help our members, regions and communities to prosper and grow. Our contribution makes a difference to the wealth of Aotearoa NZ Inc.
The Federation of Māori Authorities Inc. (FOMA) is a collective of Māori trusts, incorporations, and organisations from across Aotearoa New Zealand. We exist to support our members to prosper, grow, and achieve stronger economic returns, contributing to increased exports, regional development, and the wider prosperity of Aotearoa.
FOMA works at the intersection of policy, governance and economic development to ensure Māori voices are present in national decision-making and that Māori land remains a strong foundation for future generations.
Our Executive Committee
FOMA is lead by an Executive of highly respected people. Our strength lies in their depth of experience, wealth of knowledge and desire for our people to succeed. Comprising of representatives from 11 regions from the Far North to Stewart Island. The Executive meets quarterly to discuss the business of the organisation.
Grounded in Legacy
Our Founding Story
In 1974 a Commission of Inquiry into Māori Reserved Land was submitted to parliament concerning the perpetual leasehold (LIP) dimension of Māori Reserved Land and the associated injustice imposed on Māori Land owners.
That inquiry then reached out across all Māori reserved land and a wider tribal community was involved. It was about that time that Sir Hepi Te Heuheu convened us to say we needed a separate organisation as the New Zealand
Māori Council would not move, and decided that there should be a group of Māori economic authorities. It was essentially a plan to bring those authorities together and leave the Māori council to play with itself.”
Sir Hepi then gifted the proverbial pepeha – ‘Me Uru Kahikatea’ – to the new Federation of Māori Authorities. It relates to the kahikatea – the white pine with its long roots into the ground and the way they intertwine and stand together. ‘Me Uru Kahikatea’.
Role of Honour
FOMA Me Uru Kahikatea Honorary Members