The Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership (MMIL) Group
Te Whatu Kairangi Group Award
No one can create change alone… he toa takitini
Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership (MMIL) Group – Aotahi School of Māori and Indigenous Studies, University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
- Associate Professor Garrick Cooper
- Sacha McMeeking
- Jamie Hape
- Liam Grant
Left to right: Associate Professor Garrick Cooper, Sacha McMeeking, Jamie Hape and Liam Grant
This Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership (MMIL) group embodies that truth. They cultivate bold kaupapa Māori leaders grounded in mana motuhake and tino rangatiratanga. This is not a business leadership course, but a movement rooted in whānau, hapū, and iwi aspirations. The MMIL group nurtures authentic leadership anchored in identity and culture. Through its work on marae and connected globally through Indigenous exchanges, their work is deeply embedded in the lived realities of its ākonga.
Described as a “significant game-changer,” the MMIL programme’s impact is seen across Aotearoa, with graduates shaping policy, leading iwi initiatives, and pursuing doctoral study.
The group state, “Our role is not to make change ourselves, but to empower others to advance mana motuhake and tino rangatiratanga in their own communities….” Through Te Reo, tikanga, and the metaphor of ‘pou’, they stand as a beacon of Indigenous excellence – strategic, visionary, and transformative.
The strength of the programme lies in fostering autonomy through passion-led, community-based projects, and in walking alongside ākonga as they reclaim their voice and vision.