Pūtahi
Cultural Equity
Kia ora!
I'm Terence Hikawai
I am a Cultural Equity Specialist with a background across government, research, community, and technology. Advising ministers, executives, and national programmes.
This experience allows me to work across any industry, from team leaders to executives, professional networks and communities.
How I Work
I bring a Māori worldview and lived experience into everything I do. This shapes how I approach working with people, systems, and organisations. I help organisations understand lived experience, turn insight into action.
What is
Cultural Equity?
Cultural Equity helps organisations ensure systems work for all communities, that avoids harm, builds trust, and creates better long-term results.
Cultural Equity looks at:
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Who designs systems
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Whose knowledge is included
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Who benefits, and who does not
What I Do
1. Cultural Equity Strategy
I support leadership teams to build equity into how decisions are made.
This includes:
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Strategy and policy design
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Governance and accountability
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Equity frameworks
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Ethical and inclusive system design
2. Research and Insight
I design and lead research that reflects real community experience.
This includes:
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Equity-focused research design
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Indigenous and community engagement
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Insights that inform policy and products
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Support for research funding and programmes
3. Capability and Transformation
I help organisations apply cultural equity in practice.
This includes:
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Workshops and training
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Capability uplift
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Implementation support
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Translating strategy into action
Contact Me
I believe systems should work for everyone, not just some. Cultural equity is not an add-on. It is part of good design, good policy, and good leadership.
If you want to improve how your organisation works with communities, systems, or technology, get in touch.