For over three decades, Dr. Ihirangi Heke has built population health and well-being programs rooted in traditional environmental knowledge. In 2007, he developed the Atua Matua Māori Health Framework, an innovative system that repurposes ancient Māori environmental science into contemporary roles across health, environmental sustainability, education, high performance sport, and more recently, AI for Humanity. Today, the Atua Matua framework is taught across multiple New Zealand and international universities.

An internationally recognized consultant, Dr. Heke has advised global organizations including Google X, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the Systems Dynamics Lab at Case Western Reserve University. Locally, he maintains academic roles with the University of Otago, Victoria University, and AUT, while consulting for the NZ Academy of Sport, the Department of Conservation, and the Ministry of Education.

The adventures and life experiences of Dr. Ihirangi Heke have built a rare, deeply specialized skillset that is increasingly sought after on the global stage. As the momentum to reintroduce indigenous knowledge accelerates worldwide, Aotearoa New Zealand is leading the movement—with Dr. Heke’s Atua Matua Māori Health Framework at the absolute forefront.

Atua Matua is the profound process of gathering ancient, indigenous, environmental knowledge and repurposing it for contemporary use. It reawakens and reapplies ancestral thinking to unlock modern potential wherever it is deployed—whether that means helping corporate industry leaders redefine environmental care, guiding elite athletes toward environmentally centered training, or shaping the future of AI for Humanity.

Dr. Heke's mastery of this environmental science has made him a trusted consultant for world-class organizations including Google X, the IPCC, London's Wellcome Trust, the King's Foundation, and the NZ Academy of Sport.

Bridging the Corporate & Natural Worlds:

• Corporate Innovation: Dr. Heke recently collaborated with Southern Cross Health Insurance to develop a groundbreaking risk assessment model rooted in Tohutaka—utilizing localized environmental indicators (from weather patterns to aquatic life) to redefine well-being.

• Global Climate Strategy: He is actively shaping international climate models with London’s Wellcome Trust and the King’s Foundation to ensure the voice of the Global South and indigenous knowledge systems are vividly represented.

Experience the Movement in 2026 Next year, Dr. Heke will host eight exclusive, hands-on environmental workshops. These intimate sessions are a direct extension of the Atua Matua philosophy, designed to reconnect physical movement to the taiao (natural world) through surf, outrigger, mountain biking, alpine snow sports, and mountain running. Note Dr Heke will also be providing limited speaking engagements across 2026/27.

⚡ Strictly Limited Spaces: Because these groups are kept small to ensure high-impact, transformative learning, they sell out quickly. Enquire via email to secure your place.