A MĀORI MAYORS VISION!

Moko Tepania made history as the youngest elected Far North District Council member in 2019 and again in 2022 as the district’s youngest and first Māori mayor. The far north mayor has been recognized as one of the world’s top young leaders by a global organisation advocating for youth in politics. The young mayor is also an educator and is currently finishing a master’s degree in education and his dissertation explores how Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar, can be used to benefit learning.

Tepania is among the five winners of the One Young World Politician of the Year Award, which acknowledges exceptional politicians between the ages of 18-35 who positively impact young people; which is one of the driving forces in his pursuit of politics – to bring more young people into the fold. 

We sat down with the young mayor to talk about his aspirations for young people in politics, his district of The Far North, what home means to him and more importantly – all the things he wants to achieve and his plans for the future. 

This is his story. Indigenous 100 – Moko Tepania