Our Kaupapa - Our Purpose
Katuku Island is a universal story of survival, adapted to a player co-operative game with an Indigenous skin. Katuku Island was born of a need to realise all our human potential... regardless of race, gender, creed or colour. It starts with transforming ourselves and with a foundation of reading and writing. So here at Katuku Island, we got creative. We want to help your dreams become a reality and, achieve full literacy rates, globally. Join us!
The International Indigenous Development Team
Katuku Island is created by an international indigenous team of highly skilled professionals. While the kaupapa was developed over several years by Dr Phyllis Callaghan and her late husband, Matua Craig Callaghan, the dynamic duo brought together an amazing team of artists, graphic artists, gaming experts, production specialists and world leading technological specialists to bring their vision of Indigenous gaming, literacy, Master Agency and Collaboration to the big screen.
It was hugely important to Dr Callaghan that: whoever was to develop the platform had an understanding of Indigenous cultures and their challenges, but also understood their innovative spirit in creating something that has never been done before.
“With Katuku Island, people can transform the space and themselves, by mastering the world through Indigenous ways of knowing and doing. You become the master, who then goes out to take on the world!
The Katuku Island space is about empowerment through an Indigenous lens: 'Identity', knowing who we are, where we have all come from and understanding the journey from our past, to move forward with our present and future. Katuku Island is about connection - Whakairo.
Katuku Island is also about Indigenising the technology space with our own cultural storytelling. That is, when we are confident and can see the world from an Indigenous/Māori lens first, then improved literacy is a byproduct.
If there is a chance, a possibility to dream, to change the narrative, break the cycle - to know to read, to know how to write, to know how to communicate, to get to blossom - then this is it, we will do it and transform anyone who is willing to try and not give up. A new journey, a new awakening.. ‘Kia puawai o moemoea’”
Dr. Phyl (June, 2021)
