There are many ways to recognise Māori Data Sovereignty, and there is no single framework. Over the past decade, Māori researchers, iwi, hapū, Māori organisations and practitioners, in addition to the New Zealand Government have built a wide range of kaupapa Māori frameworks, principles, guidelines and licences.
This page lists 70 unique Māori AI and Data Governance frameworks. Each one gives effect to the inherent rights Māori hold over Māori data.
This range is a strength, not a weakness and reflects that there is no one AI or Data governance framework suitable for organisation. However, this does reinforce that any organisation cannot claim that Māori Data Sovereignty is too hard to put into practice, or that it has to wait for one approved national standard.
Practical, tested tools already exist for almost every sector and type of data. What matters is choosing a framework that fits the data, the people it comes from and the purpose. That choice should be made with the Māori communities who hold kaitiakitanga over that data.
The frameworks below are listed so that organisations, researchers and agencies can find the one that best fits their purpose.
Listing of a framework does not mean I endorse it.
Frameworks by Dr Karaitiana Taiuru
| Framework | Reference / URL | |
| 1. | He Tangata, He Karetao, He Ātārangi – Indigenous Peoples AI framework (2026) | taiuru.co.nz/kaupapa-maori-ai-framework |
| 2. | Wai 2522 Māori AI and Data Framework – four-step framework for organisations (2026) | TBA |
| 3. | Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti and Māori Ethics Guidelines for AI, Algorithms, Data and IoT (2020) | taiuru.maori.nz/tiritiethicalguide |
| 4. | Kaitiakitanga Māori Data Sovereignty Licences and modified Māori Data Sovereignty Principles (2021) | taiuru.co.nz/maori-data-sovereignty-licences |
| 5. | Tikanga Tawhito: Tikanga Hou – Kaitiaki Guidelines for DNA Research, Storage and Seed Banks with Taonga Materials | taiuru.maori.nz/guidelines-for-dna-research-storage-and-seed-banks-with-taonga-materials |
Organisations with Māori Data Frameworks
The following organisations have developed Māori Data Frameworks which provide useful reference models:
| # | Organisation | Reference / URL |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ahuriri Edwards-Mutu | Tikanga in Technology | Edition 1: Kaitiakitanga in the Age of AI |
| 2. | AKO | Ethics and AI: a starter guide for educators |
| 3. | Amber Taylor Native Sentient Governance | zenodo.org/records/21219022 |
| 4. | ARA Journeys – The Whakapapa Tech Stack | arajourneys.com |
| 5. | Āti Awa Toa Hauora Partnership Board, Manatū Hauora, Catalyst IT and Nicholson Consulting | Te Māra o Hine-Raraunga |
| 6. | Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) | Principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty (PDF) |
| 7. | AWS New Zealand | Māori Data Lens for the Well-Architected Framework |
| 8. | BrightThink Limited MBCA AI system | Ao ki Tua |
| 9. | Catalyst NZ | Catalyst and Te Tiriti |
| 10. | Crop and Food | Available as PDF |
| 11. | Deloitte | Available as PDF |
| 12. | Digital ID New Zealand – DINZ | Aotearoa’s Digital Public Infrastructure honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi |
| 13. | Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora | HISO 10094:2022 Māori Descent and Iwi Affiliation Data Protocols – tewhatuora.govt.nz (PDF) |
| 14. | Heidi | Healthcare data sovereignty |
| 15. | Lee Palamo and Lian Tovine-Passmore | Tikanga-Led Framework for Conversational AI |
| 16. | Manareview.ai | Cultural Impact Assessments |
| 17. | Māori Future Global Systems | Charmaine Clark |
| 18. | Microsoft New Zealand with Te Tumu Paeroa | Te Tumu Paeroa Māori data sovereignty framework |
| 19. | New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) | Tiaki Pakihi Māori |
| 20. | Ngāti Toa and ITeam (Oracle) – The Five S’s | teamcloud.nz |
| 21. | Ngāti Whakauae | Available as PDF |
| 22. | One NZ | Honouring the Principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi policy (PDF) |
| 23. | Open Soul AI | opensoul.business |
| 24. | Payments NZ | Ngā Tohu Ārahi – API Centre data handling guidelines |
| 25. | Rangitāne o Wairarapa | Available as PDF |
| 26. | Rotokawa Primary School | AI Bot in partnership with mana whenua |
| 27. | Spark | Te Kāpehu Whetū |
| 28. | Summit Institute | Building AI Literacy in a Culturally Responsive Way |
| 29. | Tākoha | Foundations // Five Pillars |
| 30. | Te Kāhui Raraunga | Māori Data Governance Model – kahuiraraunga.io (PDF) |
| 31. | Te Pūkenga | Respect of Māori data sovereignty when using (or sharing) personal data |
| 32. | Te Pūtahitanga Data Sciences | Tikanga-ā-Kaipakihi© Governance Framework – maori-ai.com |
| 33. | Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – Māori Language Commission | Reo Māori with Google Maps |
| 34. | Te Tihi (Central Iwi and Hapū Health Collective) | Te Manawhakahaere Raraunga Plan |
| 35. | Te Tira Whakamātaki | Reframing Data as a Taonga: A Māori Data Sovereignty Framework – ttw.nz (PDF) |
| 36. | Te Tuhu Harrison at Te Aka | Matariki AI Stewardship Architecture Constraining Artificial Intelligence in Living Systems Governance |
| 37. | Te Whakaiti | Tikanga in Technology newsletter |
| 38. | Tipuna AI | tupunapai.com |
| 39. | University of Otago | Forensics Whānau Data Sovereignty |
| 40. | Whakatere Financial Systems for Marae and Hapū | whakatere.com |
| 41. | Whare Hauora | Māori data sovereignty in practice – from Governance to Operations and Why |
New Zealand Government Agencies with custom Māori Data Governance
Based on Official Information Act Requests in 2024-2025 the following New Zealand government agencies have included Māori Data Governance into existing data frameworks. The updated 2026 list will be updated in early 2027.
| # | Agency | Website |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) | www.acc.co.nz |
| 2 | Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand | Aviation Security Service | www.aviation.govt.nz |
| 3 | Crown Law Office | www.crownlaw.govt.nz |
| 4 | Department of Conservation | www.doc.govt.nz |
| 5 | Department of Corrections | www.corrections.govt.nz |
| 6 | Department of Internal Affairs | www.dia.govt.nz |
| 7 | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | www.dpmc.govt.nz |
| 8 | Education Review Office | www.ero.govt.nz |
| 9 | Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora | www.tewhatuora.govt.nz |
| 10 | Inland Revenue Department | www.ird.govt.nz |
| 11 | Land Information New Zealand | www.linz.govt.nz |
| 12 | Ministry for Culture and Heritage | www.mch.govt.nz |
| 13 | Ministry for Primary Industries | www.mpi.govt.nz |
| 14 | Ministry for Regulation | www.regulation.govt.nz |
| 15 | Ministry for the Environment | environment.govt.nz |
| 16 | Ministry for Women | www.women.govt.nz |
| 17 | Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment | www.mbie.govt.nz |
| 18 | Ministry of Defence | www.defence.govt.nz |
| 19 | Ministry of Education | www.education.govt.nz |
| 20 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade | www.mfat.govt.nz |
| 21 | New Zealand Qualifications Authority | www.nzqa.govt.nz |
| 22 | New Zealand Trade and Enterprise | www.nzte.govt.nz |
| 23 | Tertiary Education Commission | www.tec.govt.nz |
How to cite this page
Taiuru, K. (2026, October 31). Kaupapa Māori data frameworks. Taiuru & Associates Ltd. https://www.taiuru.co.nz/kaupapa-maori-data-governance-frameworks