Te Kāhui Raraunga unveils Te Pā Tūwatawata to keep Māori data in Māori hands
A major new step toward Māori data sovereignty has been launched with the unveiling of Te Pā Tūwatawata — Aotearoa’s first decentralised, Māori-owned data storage network designed to give iwi, hapū and Māori organisations full control over their digital information.
Developed by Te Kāhui Raraunga, the iwi-led network has been designed to protect Māori data, mātauranga and taonga through infrastructure grounded in tikanga Māori and governed according to Māori values.
The name Te Pā Tūwatawata references fortified pā traditionally built as places of strength, security and protection within the rohe — a concept organisers say reflects the purpose of safeguarding Māori data and digital knowledge for future generations.
Te Kāhui Raraunga chairperson and Data Iwi Leaders Group representative Rāhui Papa says the project was developed in direct response to calls from iwi seeking sovereignty and control over their own information systems.
Following a successful pilot programme, Te Pā Tūwatawata is now preparing to offer storage and repository services nationally, with ambitions to eventually expand internationally.
The pilot phase established seven “Points of Presence” across Aotearoa, including sustainable data centres, marae and iwi enterprises alongside Te Kāhui Raraunga headquarters.
Organisers say the project has already demonstrated that sovereign Māori digital infrastructure can operate successfully both technically and culturally while also meeting environmental sustainability goals.
The network offers end-to-end encryption and is fully compatible with existing enterprise data systems, while allowing iwi and organisations to choose where their information is physically stored according to their own tikanga and kawa.
Te Kāhui Raraunga says the initiative aims to reduce dependence on foreign-owned cloud services and offshore infrastructure, which can create risks around jurisdiction, data ownership and control over sensitive cultural information.
The launch also highlights growing concerns globally around Indigenous data sovereignty and the ability of Indigenous peoples to control how their information, whakapapa and cultural knowledge are stored and used in increasingly digital environments.
Project leaders say Te Pā Tūwatawata is not only about data storage but about protecting identity, mātauranga Māori and future economic opportunities for Māori communities.
Principal Advisor Erena Mikaere says the initiative also opens pathways for workforce development and regional digital economy investment across iwi, hapū and whānau, with Māori positioned to lead within future digital industries.
Te Kāhui Raraunga says discussions are already underway around possible partnerships with other Indigenous nations and organisations internationally that share similar aspirations around data sovereignty and Indigenous-controlled digital infrastructure.
Expressions of interest are now being invited from marae, iwi, hapū and Māori organisations interested in storing their data within the Te Pā Tūwatawata network.
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