Our Hapori
Kaiti School have worked with Max and Sandy Matenga of Kāteao Ltd over a 9 month period reviewing the school’s current positive behaviour management system and indigenising it to a localised tīpuna story. Having Max and Sandy’s support and guidance to develop a Te Ao Māori framework for positive behaviour in our kura was critical to ensure tikanga and kawa were followed throughout this process of review. Not only did Max and Sandy have an in-depth knowledge base for this kaupapa, they were also able to share it with staff through a series of workshops. They modelled to staff how to apply the story in practical applications with tamariki. Through their facilitation and hui with kaiako, Max and Sandy have developed to graphic model stage, a new behaviour management system. I admire Max and Sandy’s professionalism, their wisdom, willingness to collaborate and inherent ability to deliver beyond your expectations. I would recommend Kāteao Ltd to any organisation who wants to move to the next level and bring cutting edge design and innovation to your setting.
Billie-Jean Potaka Ayton
Principal Kaiti School
He Awa Ora, He Tai Ora Trust is a charitable trust based in Tairāwhiti that delivers marine and freshwater education and training programmes to schools, community groups, catchment groups, and iwi and hapū.
Kateao Limited has consistently exceeded our expectations in delivering mātauranga Māori to support our environmental education programmes for local kura and catchment groups. Max’s delivery through wānanga, workshops, and resource development has helped landowners, students, and catchment communities deepen their cultural understanding of, and connection to, their local whenua and awa.
His approach brings cultural knowledge and environmental action together in a way that is meaningful, practical, and accessible. Max creates welcoming spaces for learning and kōrero, communicates clearly throughout every engagement, and consistently demonstrates professionalism, respect, and cultural integrity.
Everything Kateao Limited has delivered has deepened our knowledge and strengthened our commitment to working respectfully and collaboratively with mana whenua. Their work adds considerable value to environmental, educational, and
community initiatives, and we fully support their continued efforts to strengthen relationships between people, whenua, and awa through mātauranga Māori.
FROM Amy Hardy
Regional Coordinator - Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust
APRA AMCOS is an organisation that represents and administers music rights for kaitito waiata and kaitito puoro throughout Aotearoa. We’ve engaged Max for the past two years to translate press releases, job descriptions, internal and external communications from English to te reo Māori. In addition, our organisation has recently created a Mahere Reo and Max is an important part of this plan.
APRA AMCOS has more than 2,000 Māori members – including luminaries of waiata and reo Māori – so the quality of our translations into te reo Māori is very important. Also, because there’s no fluent speaker or writer of te reo Māori on our staff, we need to be able to implicitly trust the person doing this mahi for us, and feel confident that their work is communicating with our members in the most articulate and accurate way possible – especially when it comes to technical terminology that’s specific to the music environment.
On all of these fronts, Max is a wonderful collaborator. He responds immediately, works quickly and thoroughly, he’s thoughtful, empathetic and communicative, and well respected in our community.
Our organisation’s relationship with te reo Māori is still relatively new and we are on a big learning curve. We’re incredibly fortunate and grateful to have Max helping us on this journey.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Victoria Kelly
NZ MANAGER OF NZ MEMBER SERVICES | KAIWHAKAHAERE MO NGA MEMA O APRA AOTEAROA
We feel as if we've unearthed a shiny, gold nugget with Max. He has proved an absolute 'find' for our Aurora Leadership Programme. As our Te Reo Māori specialist, he not only supports and uplifts our Māori ākonga but also serves as an excellent mentor to all our leaders from diverse cultures. Max shows an uncanny knack for knowing exactly when to step in to bolster children lacking in confidence without undermining their newfound courage. His greatest asset is an outstanding ability to grow self-belief in all the tamariki he works alongside. This is always carried out in a professional and calm manner, so that ākonga feel secure and listened to, whatever the circumstances.
Max's superb te reo talents also extend to our Aurora enviro-science initiatives. He is an expert at sketching Te Ao worldview at our Eastwoodhill festivals. Max is also a peerless local kaitiakitanga specialist, sensitively presenting the Tiaki Taiao perspective at Tatapouri for the "Feeding the Stingrays" eco-experience.
I could not recommend Max more highly for his new online venture - but on the proviso we have first call on him! He is a taonga for Tūranga and Tairāwhiti. We are so fortunate to have someone of his outstanding calibre within our midst!
Sunny (Mrs Karen Bush)
Executive Director: The Aurora Education Foundation Charitable Trust
“I literally cried with joy when I read my story in te reo Māori. The story was already alive, but Kāteao gave it the wairua it needed. The aroha and care they put into their mahi and our reo is something really special. I’ll absolutely be reaching out to them again in the future. So much aroha for Kāteao.”
FROM Roberta Kerr – children’s book author ruamoea.com