Aotearoa National Harakeke Restoration Plan - Day 1.
🛑 DISCLAIMER
This is for entertainment purposes only.
But hypothetically...
If YOU were in Parliament — running the show — what would you do to rebuild the Harakeke economy from the roots up? This is what I would do…
🌿 1. Establish a National Harakeke Industry Taskforce
Led by cultural strategists (like yourself), weavers, scientists, economists, designers, and regional iwi reps.
Purpose: Develop the national blueprint for industry development, standards, education, and international trade.
🧪 2. Fund Applied R&D + Mātauranga Māori Integration
Invest in research labs, material science, fibre processing, and bio-innovation using muka.
Support joint ventures between universities, marae-based innovation hubs, and design studios.
🧵 3. Empower the Weavers
Create a National Register of Whare Pora + Toi Māori Practitioners.
Fund and restore traditional weaving spaces.
Pay master weavers to pass on their knowledge — not as a nice-to-have, but as core national infrastructure.
🏭 4. Support Regional Processing Infrastructure
Build portable and community-based harakeke processing mills — decentralised, iwi-led, and export-ready.
Co-invest in clean tech for sustainable fibre separation and product development.
📚 5. Develop a National Harakeke Curriculum
Embed into kura kaupapa, high schools, universities, and trade schools.
Include business models, fibre science, environmental restoration, cultural protocols, and innovation pathways.
🌱 6. Incentivise Cultivation Through Regenerative Land Use
Launch grants for iwi, whānau, and community groups to restore wetlands and flood-prone whenua with harakeke.
Align with carbon credits, biodiversity offsets, and eco-tourism.
📦 7. Launch the ‘Made from Harakeke’ or ‘Made in Aotearoa’ National Export Label
Like “100% Pure NZ,” but for sustainable, high-value harakeke products — fashion, packaging, textiles, bioplastics, health + wellness.
🥇 8. Back Flagship Projects with Global Appeal
Fund world-class product launches (e.g. Miro Locs), exhibitions, and innovation challenges.
Partner with Māori-owned businesses to lead — with Government acting as enabler, not owner.
💼 9. Set Up an Iwi Investment Fund
A rotating capital fund for iwi and hapū ventures tied to the harakeke value chain: cultivation, IP, product design, export, tech.
🪙 10. Bonus: National Harakeke Day + Cultural Reclamation Fund
Celebrate the legacy, innovation, and future of this taonga.
Fund storytelling, documentary series, and international campaigns — narrated by you, obviously.
Additional Suggestions:
🌐 11. A National Harakeke Digital Platform
Create a comprehensive, user-friendly digital platform that connects weavers, farmers, scientists, designers, and consumers.
Think of it as a “Harakeke LinkedIn” that promotes collaborations, business partnerships, product showcases, and educational resources.
🌍 12. Global Harakeke Innovation Network
Create a global coalition with other countries working on sustainable fibre innovations.
This could be a space for cross-cultural exchange, knowledge-sharing, and joint ventures. Imagine weavers from Aotearoa teaming up with innovators from other Indigenous communities worldwide.
🎤 13. National Harakeke Expo/Conference
Host an annual conference/expo dedicated solely to harakeke.
Invite global thought leaders, designers, scientists, weavers, and cultural strategists to share insights, showcase products, and foster international connections.
🧑🔬 14. Harakeke Futures Fellowship Program
Create a fellowship that supports young Māori entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, and weavers to research, experiment, and innovate in the harakeke space.
Offer funding, mentorship, and access to top-tier networks to propel their ideas forward.
🏆 15. A National Harakeke Innovation Prize
Set up a major annual prize for the most groundbreaking, innovative, and sustainable product made from harakeke.
The prize could be a combination of funding, global exposure, and government support to bring the product to market.
🏢 16. Dedicated Harakeke Export Hub
Create a government-backed export hub specifically for harakeke-based products.
It would streamline the export process, connect international buyers with producers, and ensure Māori-owned businesses lead the way in global markets.
🤝 17. Cross-Industry Collaborations with Fashion, Tech, and Bio-Economy
Encourage cross-industry collaborations by facilitating partnerships between harakeke producers and major sectors like fashion, bio-economy, tech, and sustainability.
“But what would I know… I’m just a Fashion Designer. 😉”
