As the Matariki star cluster rises again in the midwinter sky, people across Aotearoa are taking time to pause, reflect, and look forward. Matariki, the Māori New Year, is a time rich with meaning — a time for remembrance, celebration, and planning for the future.
At AkoVet, this season is a welcome opportunity to reflect on our purpose and the work we do in partnership with others. We are not a kaupapa Māori organisation, and we do not claim to speak for Matariki or Māori communities. But we do wish to acknowledge the importance of this time in the national calendar and share how its themes resonate with our work and our values.
Ako: Shared Learning, Shared Responsibility
Our name, AkoVet, is inspired by ako — the concept of reciprocal learning. While ako has deep cultural significance in te ao Māori (the Māori world), it also speaks to a universal idea underpinning our work: everyone involved in animal care has something to learn, share, and contribute.
Improving animal health and wellbeing in Aotearoa is about providing education and building connections between people, tools, science, and lived experience. Whether we support veterinarians, farmers, lifestyle block owners, vet nurses, educators or policy makers, our goal is to make knowledge practical, accessible, and impactful.
Staying Grounded in Respect
As we acknowledge Matariki, we do so with care. We recognise that it is not our place to interpret or reframe its meaning. Instead, we take this time to quietly reflect on the shared values that guide us — values like connection, care, stewardship, and collective wellbeing.
We also recognise the value of mātauranga Māori in shaping a more holistic understanding of animals, people, and the environment. We are committed to listening, learning, and partnering in respectful, inclusive, and culturally safe ways.
Matariki Themes and Our Work
While Matariki is rooted in mātauranga Māori and its meaning is unique to Māori communities, some of its broader themes invite thoughtful reflection by all of us working to make Aotearoa a better place for animals and the people who care for them.
Remembrance and Gratitude
Matariki is a time to honour those who have passed, and to give thanks for the people and knowledge that sustain us. We are grateful to the many people — carers, professionals, teachers, and innovators — who have contributed to our shared understanding of animal care in Aotearoa. Their work forms the foundation of what we now carry forward.
Celebrating the Present
We are proud to support the people and organisations actively improving animal care in their everyday work—through prevention-focused veterinary care, thoughtful management, better policy, or simply asking, “How can we do this better?” At AkoVet, our tools, training, and support services are designed to meet real-world needs and enhance what people are already doing well.
Looking Ahead with Purpose
Matariki is also a time to set intentions and prepare for the seasons ahead. For us, that means growing new partnerships, expanding our digital tools, and developing high-quality, evidence-based content that supports human and animal wellbeing. We take a systems-thinking approach because we know that animal outcomes are shaped by individual choices and the broader contexts in which people work and live.
A Shared Future for Animal Care
At AkoVet, we believe in practical solutions with purpose. Whether co-developing tools with farmers and vets, helping organisations embed animal welfare in their strategies, or creating learning pathways for the next generation of animal carers, we are motivated by a shared goal: better lives for animals and people in Aotearoa.
As we enter the season of Matariki, we are reminded that meaningful change begins with relationships — and that the future of animal care is something we shape together.
Ngā mihi o Matariki, te tau hou Māori.
Warm wishes to all who are observing the Māori New Year. May this season offer space for reflection, hope, and renewal.
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The AkoVet Team
