Rikona sees the world differently from how you probably do. He grew up in what he calls a 鈥淢膩ori world bubble鈥�.

This doesn鈥檛 just mean that he spoke the language. Rikona was fully immersed in the stories and cultures passed down through generations of his whakapapa (genealogy/lineage). For Rikona, it wasn鈥檛 until his early teens that he realised most people don鈥檛 see oceans, rivers and mountains as alive with the narratives of their ancestors鈥� experience. That they don鈥檛 see beneath the concrete built around them, built upon tribal boundaries more than 1,000 years old, and the obligation to uphold the stories that bind people to place.

91影视鈥檚 Te Ao M膩ori journey

Rikona provides a M膩ori worldview guiding our Te Ao M膩ori (a world through a M膩ori lens) journey at 91影视, as our people develop a genuine understanding of Te Ao M膩ori and how to embed its principles across the organisation, both internally and in work with our clients. His perspective is the thread that connects us to iwi and mana whenua, growing our partnerships in a culturally informed way.

This journey is grounded in the values, actions and measurable outcomes in our Mahere Rautaki M膩ori strategy, which keeps us accountable on progress. It documents our commitment to embed Te Ao M膩ori and acknowledges our obligations to Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi).

Making the commitment through our Mahere Rautaki M膩ori strategy was simply the beginning. Rikona joined our team in Aotearoa as M膩ori Communications Specialist to bring the strategy to life. Real progress and depth could only be achieved through knowledge sharing from someone like Rikona, who has both lived cultural experience shaped by Te Ao M膩ori, and a practical ability to uplift organisations without alienating people along the way.

Internal shifts: From symbolism to shared responsibility

When Rikona joined 91影视, his first question was 鈥渨hat鈥檚 our karakia?鈥� (a M膩ori chant often used in the workplace to set intention and acknowledge people and place, and create a sense of respect, safety and connection). He was given a booklet with more than 10 opening and closing karakia to choose from. Of course, it meant the practice was unfamiliar and daunting, and no non-M膩ori person knew any version by heart.

What came next for Rikona was small but focused: he stripped all the versions back to one opening and one closing karakia. He focuses on educating people about the depth and meaning of the message, working with them until they can recite, understand and confidently share it with others. For Rikona, there鈥檚 no point moving on until it becomes lived practice. The change was a small but powerful step that left people wanting to learn more. It has opened the space for richer conversations in which colleagues learn the layers of the meaning in the karakia, and the practice has become normalised as a shared responsibility.

He also led a major clean鈥憉p of language and communications and now encourages staff to check M膩ori phrasing with him to ensure accuracy across regional dialects and conventions. He empowers staff through his tailored cultural capability training and resources, and mentors a cohort of M膩ori champions.

External outcomes: The three-step engagement framework

While his earlier work at 91影视 was focused on building internal foundations, Rikona is now deeply focused on showing up genuinely with iwi on projects. Guided by Te Ao M膩ori, Rikona knows that genuine partnerships aren鈥檛 formed in meetings or through job titles, but through understanding iwi (M膩ori tribes) stories and their whakapapa. His three-step engagement framework is setting the benchmark for forming meaningful partnerships:

1. Pre鈥憁别别迟颈苍驳: Project teams meet internally first, sharing who they are, where they are from and who they represent, and deliberately shifting from purely professional identities to full human ones, where laughter and friendly conversation is encouraged.
2. Engagement: They enter hui with mana whenua as people first, professionals second, guided by prompts like 鈥渟peak as if you鈥檙e meeting your best friend鈥檚 grandmother鈥� to soften corporate armour and allow whanaungatanga to form.
3. Debrief: They debrief immediately after, before other tasks crowd in, capturing what went well, what felt off, and what needs to change so the next interaction honours iwi time and tikanga better.

As a descendant of chiefs who engaged with the Crown 鈥済ood, bad and ugly鈥�, he grew up acutely aware of both the promise and the pain bound up in partnership. He鈥檚 bringing his worldview and lived experience to create a new standard for iwi engagement on our infrastructure projects.

Penny-drop moments and looking ahead for 2026

For Rikona, the proudest moments in his role are the 鈥減enny-drop moments鈥� when colleagues truly realise that M膩ori connections to land are rooted not in aesthetics or nostalgia but in centuries鈥憃ld narratives that carry responsibility across generations, and guide decisions today.

The questions he receives have also deepened. Instead of last鈥憁inute requests for a karakia or a translation on a bid that is already locked in, project teams are involving him early, asking 鈥渨hy鈥�, 鈥渉ow鈥� and 鈥渨hen鈥� as they plan their approach.

In 2026, Rikona鈥檚 focus is on deepening what has begun. He wants more teams to embed Te Ao M膩ori perspectives from project inception rather than retrofitting them at the end.

He will prioritise relationship鈥慴uilding with iwi outside of live project cycles, aiming by year鈥檚 end to have strong, enduring relationships with at least two iwi who know 91影视 not just from tenders. Those relationships will sit alongside the measurable goals in Mahere Rautaki M膩ori, but for Rikona, they are the truest test of whether the journey is working.

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Based in our Kitchener, Ontario office, Jay Harris is the Indigenous market sector lead in Central Canada for 91影视鈥檚 Water business. Jay is driven to advance drinking water projects to improve community health, and wastewater projects to enhance environmental performance. He is dedicated to strengthening and fostering Indigenous infrastructure opportunities and business relationships.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I鈥檝e had an eclectic career path. At the start of my career, I joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as an aircraft maintenance technician reaching the journeyman level. I served in Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta before moving on to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). As an RCMP constable, I was temporarily posted to Nunavut to carry out relief staffing in various communities. I later re-enlisted with the RCAF and was invited to contract with an Aboriginal police service to cover staffing and investigation shortfalls. Two years later, I accepted a position at a First Nation in Ontario.

While living in Ontario, I applied for a position at a nuclear power station and eventually earned my Supervising Nuclear Operator qualification in fuel handling. In 2011, I became the first Canadian Aboriginal person to attend the World Nuclear University program and continue to be an active member of the Canadian Nuclear Society.

After retiring from nuclear operations, I provided informal advice and consultation on many energy issues relating to First Nations, while continuing to be a strong proponent of small nuclear reactor technology. These opportunities sparked my interest in energy technology of all types, particularly in water infrastructure, cutting edge technology applications and their impact on human society.

What is your favorite 91影视 project that you鈥檝e worked on and why?

Since joining 91影视, I have been leading business development activities for the Water business, primarily in Ontario. Though I can鈥檛 point to a specific project or assignment I鈥檝e enjoyed the most, the favorite part of my job is knowing that I am advancing access to safe, clean drinking water for First Nation, M茅tis and Inuit communities. Many have been challenged with long-term drinking water advisories and I鈥檓 grateful to be helping to support community infrastructure projects to build a sustainable foundation and increase reliable access to clean drinking water for generations to come.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Working in a large, global organization like 91影视, I鈥檓 grateful for the robust capabilities and resources we can offer. That said, I鈥檓 pleased that we can support on-reserve infrastructure throughout the project lifecycle from planning, design, construction management all the way through addressing operations and maintenance needs. More importantly, the transfer of service delivery supports Indigenous communities and organizations by building capacity and readiness 鈥� ultimately promoting self-determination for First Nations.

Share a piece of career advice.

I鈥檝e often seen people getting stuck in the wrong career. Sometimes their work doesn鈥檛 feel meaningful anymore, or their industry has drastically evolved, or their values and interests have changed. Wherever possible, do something that you like and that makes you feel good. If you think the grass is greener somewhere else, go to the other side of the fence and try chomping on some grass. Always follow your passion!

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Since 1998, Cathy has worked exclusively on large, multi-faceted remediation projects at abandoned mine and military sites in northern Canada. After 10 years of being based in Alberta, Cathy made the north her home, moving to 91影视’s Yellowknife office in 2012.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I didn鈥檛 know what engineering was coming out of high school and was sadly never pointed in that direction of study, despite excelling at science and math. I came to study engineering after three years of other university studies, learning about it through friendships with engineering students. Prior to studying engineering, I鈥檇 spent three summers tree planting in northern Ontario, living and working in very rugged conditions. I loved the work environment, so I picked geological engineering as my discipline for the prospects of continued remote, rugged work. My first job out of grad school 鈥� initially taken for research opportunities 鈥� exposed me to the remediation of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line military radar sites in northern Canada. This incredible experience hooked me on remote site remediation projects.

What is your favorite 91影视 project that you鈥檝e worked on and why?

I have no favorite project, but what does continually appeal to me is the beauty of northern, remote projects.

Historically, in the Canadian territories, operators leased land parcels from the federal government, with minimal bonding requirements for restoration. Sites were typically abandoned when no longer used, and responsibility for them reverted to the federal government. Remote sites are like small communities with their own fuel storage, power supply, communication equipment, and other operational infrastructure. Re-supplying them is very costly and done annually by barge or ice road. Abandoned sites usually date from a time when environmental protection was not a consideration. Consequently, abandoned sites typically have a high volume of waste remaining, deteriorated infrastructure with hazardous materials, considerable soil contamination from poor operational practices, chemical impacts to land and water from waste rock and tailings, and unsealed mine openings. The territorial sites are almost all on Indigenous land claim areas, where local people continue to live traditionally off the land.

 For remote sites such as these, there are no prescribed solutions and they all require effective integration of multiple disciplines to achieve a comprehensive, tailored remedial solution 鈥� making efficient use of on-site resources and creating remedial design strategies that address multiple issues at once. Designs must also be simple to build to maximize local, often inexperienced employment, offer permanent solutions with no maintenance requirements, and ideally, restore the land to allow for traditional Indigenous land use. Every job provides the opportunity for creative thinking and application of innovative solutions.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Every site remediation project that I鈥檝e provided resident engineering services for involves a mostly Indigenous contractor crew from small, isolated communities. Whenever interacting with the workers, I make the extra effort to explain to all of them 鈥� from heavy equipment operators to laborers 鈥� the reasoning for the remedial measures they are implementing. It鈥檚 my way of developing interest in science and engineering for people who, not unlike myself prior to university, have not been exposed to engineering or science work opportunities. I鈥檝e mentored multiple keen, young people over the years, providing references for entrance to local college programs, or when applying to job opportunities.

Share a piece of career advice.

I鈥檓 a strong believer in witnessing how designs translate to construction, and of soliciting feedback from experienced contractors executing the building. I have become an infinitely better design engineer from overseeing construction and seeking input from contractors on how the design constructability could be improved. Collaboration is key to success.

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Not many would know that it wasn鈥檛 until 1965 that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples won the right to vote, with the state of Queensland last to join.聽 It wasn鈥檛 until 1967 that Australia鈥檚 First Nation peoples were counted in the Commonwealth census.

The history of the makes for heart-breaking reading.聽 No official figures were kept, but estimates state between 20,000 and 100,000 children were taken from their families by government agencies from the late 1800s through to the 1970s under assimilation policies.聽 Raised in orphanages and foster homes, many children were abused and became disconnected from their identities as indigenous people.

More recently, Australia has turned a corner.聽 On 13 February 2008, then newly appointed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tabled a motion in Parliament issuing an apology for these wrongs.聽 More than 10 years after the first National Sorry Day of 26 May 1998 鈥� a year after the tabling of the Bringing them Home聽report investigating the Stolen Generations 鈥� this official apology was a significant step in the journey of reconciliation.

91影视 in Australia recently reached a milestone on its own journey, with the launch of its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).聽 Based on a model of three pillars 鈥� Relationships, Respect and Opportunities 鈥� the RAP commits 91影视 to clear, authentic and measurable first steps to improve our relationships, to build respect and to provide greater opportunities for Australia鈥檚 first people.

The RAP program supports organisations across all sectors to be part of the solutions in closing the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians in areas including life expectancy, child mortality, health, education and employment.

The current gaps demonstrate how much work there is to do.聽 Looking at one statistic 鈥� the rate of imprisonment 鈥� Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners are 27% of the total prison population but make up only 3% of the Australian population.

Nearly a third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are reported to have experienced high rates of psychological distress 鈥� more than twice the rate of other Australians.聽 Beyond Blue, an independent, not-for-profit organisation working to increase awareness and understanding of anxiety and depression in Australia, has released an advertisement about the impacts of racial discrimination in Australia 鈥� search YouTube under 鈥溾�� to see the powerful 90 second clip.

91影视 has a long history of working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, whether planning community services, designing essential infrastructure like waste water treatment plants, upgrading roads to survive intense wet season conditions or leading cultural heritage surveys.聽 It also has a history of connections through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

One example of this partnership is in the remote community of Warburton in central Australia, situated more than 900km from Alice Springs in the north-east and 900km from Kalgoorlie in the south-west.

In 2009, 91影视 joined with the University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku to enhance the liveability of this Aboriginal settlement through participatory design.聽 Students, UWA lecturers and 91影视 mentors have visited Warburton twice yearly for three years to understand the community鈥檚 needs and preferences to inform design solutions.

The community is actively involved in the design process and the first construction on site is due to be finished this year 鈥� a cemetery shelter to provide shade in the harsh desert conditions of the region.

August 9^th聽was the and this year鈥檚 theme was 鈥淏ridging the gap: implementing the rights of Indigenous peoples鈥�.

Australia has one of the oldest living cultures including the world鈥檚 oldest oral histories, and is believed to be home to the first modern humans to leave Africa 70,000 years ago. Today, it retains 145 distinct languages, although many are under threat of extinction.

What can you discover to help build pride in the unique histories and cultures of Australia鈥檚 first peoples?聽 Check out to learn more.

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