Māori Educator | Cultural Capability | Language Advocate

Joshua Wetere is a passionate Māori educator, cultural leader, and reo Māori advocate with over a decade of experience driving initiatives that uplift te reo Māori and tikanga Māori across education, government, and community spaces.

He has served as a lecturer in Māori Education at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, where he has inspired hundreds of kaiako through his award-winning teaching, recognised with multiple Teaching Excellence Awards. Joshua is also the founder of Auraki Mai Limited, a kaupapa Māori enterprise committed to revitalising te reo Māori through multimedia resources, cultural training, and whānau-focused language strategies.

Joshua’s leadership spans across strategic advisory roles with local government, iwi engagement, and policy development—most notably during his time as Kaitohutohu (Senior Advisor) in local government. He is widely respected for his ability to weave together mātauranga Māori and contemporary frameworks to build cultural capability, empower communities, and create transformational change.

Joshua remains grounded in his whakapapa and driven by a deep sense of responsibility to his iwi, hapū, and future generations. His work reflects a strong belief in the mana of te reo Māori as a taonga that belongs in every home, workplace, and heart.