He aha te ōhanga whakapapa?
What is Whakapapa Economics?
A wider way of seeing value — one that follows the relationships, time and obligations through which Māori initiatives create it.
A simple definition
Whakapapa Economics is a Māori-grounded approach to understanding value. It starts from whakapapa: the relationships between people, whānau, whenua, te taiao, institutions, ancestors and future generations. It asks how value is created, carried and returned through those relationships.
Why value is often missed
Many impact reports count what is easiest to see: direct participants, short-term changes, simple outputs and outcomes that already have a dollar value. This can be useful, but it can also miss the way Māori initiatives often work — through trust, relationships, whānau capability, cultural confidence, whenua connection, collective responsibility and future pathways.
Direct outcomes are only the first site of value
A housing repair may begin with a roof, window or floor. But the value may continue through a warmer home, safer routines, reduced stress, whānau staying connected to whenua, restored ability to host, and better conditions for tamariki and mokopuna.
Māori concepts guide the value boundary
Some Māori concepts can be partly explained in English, but direct translation is limited. The short meanings below are working guides for this applied framework, not full cultural definitions.
These concepts help decide where to look for value. They are not themselves turned into dollar amounts.
Price the pathway, not the concept
The method does not ask, “What is mana worth?” It asks, “What changes when mana is upheld?” If the answer is stronger participation, reduced whakamā, earlier engagement, safer hosting or greater decision authority, those observable changes may be described, evidenced and, where appropriate, valued.
Wider, not looser
How this relates to existing impact methods
Whakapapa Economics does not reject existing impact and cost-benefit methods. It builds on their useful disciplines: clear costs, careful evidence, transparency, uncertainty and not overclaiming. Its main contribution is earlier in the process: it changes the boundary of what should be looked for before the model decides what counts.