When AI Translates Without Tikanga

When AI is used to translate te reo Māori without understanding tikanga, it can easily become a tool for ego rather than inclusion.

I once worked with a manager who proudly added a Māori job title to their email signature.
They said it showed a connection to Te Ao Māori. But there was no learning, no kōrero, no lived experience, just a title.

They didn’t speak te reo or understand the responsibility tied to that role.
No permission was sought. No tikanga was followed.

The title was used to impress, not to uplift.
And that moment taught me something powerful: Indigenous titles carry mana. They are not decorations; they are earned through action, relationship, and respect.

When AI shortcuts this process when it auto-generates Māori titles or translates sacred concepts for the sake of image, it risks repeating the same tokenism we see in people. Technology, in these cases, doesn’t build bridges; it performs them.

That experience made me pause and ask:

• Who gave you that title?

• Do you understand the kaupapa behind it?

• Are you building trust — or just ticking the brown box?

This moment became a turning point in my journey into ethical AI and Indigenous representation.
It reminded me that identity isn’t something you can automate, translate, or replicate.
It’s something you live, earn, and protect.

If we want technology to honour Te Ao Māori, it must be built with tikanga, not just trained on data.