Originally established in 2019 by Tauranga City Council and TECT Community Trust as the Kaupapa Māori Legacy Event Fund, this collaborative fund supports events that celebrate te ao Māori, strengthen connections with Tauranga Moana tangata whenua, and create opportunities for communities to experience and share local culture, history and tikanga. Bay Trust were welcomed to the funding partnership in 2022.
Following a review in 2025, the requirement for events to be in their second year or beyond before applying for funding was removed. This opened the fund to first-time events and meant the term ‘legacy’ no longer reflected its purpose, leading to its removal from the fund’s name.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Acorn Foundation also joined as funding partners, expanding the fund’s geographic reach to include events across the Western Bay of Plenty district.
"The Kaupapa Māori Event Fund demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when funding partners and local councils come together with a shared commitment to supporting kaupapa Māori," says TECT Community Trust Community Impact Manager Paula Hudson.
“We're now able to provide more support and a greater reach for Māori-led events, helping them thrive and support the people and communities who bring them to life."
Past recipients include the Tauranga Moana Tauranga Tangata Festival, a biennial community event that brings together the 23 marae and hapū of Tauranga Moana to celebrate shared identity, strengthen whanaungatanga, and connect whānau across generations. Held over three days, the festival features a programme of cultural, sporting and whānau-focused activities, including kapa haka, sports competitions, rangatahi games, kai and entertainment.
Another previous recipient is Te Haka a Toi, the Bay of Plenty Secondary School Kapa Haka Regional Competition. In 2025, the event brought together 13 kapa haka rōpū from across Tauranga Moana, Whakatāne and the Eastern Bay of Plenty at Mercury Baypark. The competition provides rangatahi with a platform to showcase te ao Māori through kapa haka, with groups competing to represent the region at the national competition.
Keren Pakau, Head of Strategic Māori Engagement at Tauranga City Council, says the fund enables Māori-led events to flourish across Tauranga Moana.
"We're seeing this come to life through the many Matariki events taking place this year. Together with mana whenua and our funding partners, we're supporting events that ensure te ao Māori is visible, valued, and enriching our communities."
This financial year, funding for 13 events has been approved, many are featured as part of Matariki Te Tauranga o ngā Waka 2026. Running from 16 June to 16 July, the month-long programme includes a diverse range of community-led events across Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty, including:
- Te Ara o Matariki Light Trail (27–28 June)
- Waihī Beach Matariki Dawn Viewing & Breakfast (9 July)
- Matariki Katikati (9–10 July)
- Matariki Maumaharatanga (10 July)
- Matariki Light Up the Waterways (10 July)
- Matariki ki Tauranga Moana (10 July)
- Matariki Hautapu ki Matakana (9 July)
- Matariki me Waka Tētē (10 July)
Applications for the Kaupapa Māori Event Fund remain open throughout the year. Key information can be found here: Kaupapa Māori Event Fund. Event organisers who believe their kaupapa may be eligible are encouraged to contact Te Pou Takawaenga by emailing kaupapafund@tauranga.govt.nz to discuss their proposal before applying.
Discover what's on this Matariki and come together to celebrate and connect across Tauranga Moana and the Western Bay of Plenty. Visit www.whatsontauranga.co.nz/matariki to discover upcoming events.