<p>The recent discussions about science education in Aotearoa have presented an opportunity for schools to reimagine their science courses and consider the relationship between mātauranga Māori and science, alongside considering ways to reinvigorate students’ attitudes and engagement with science. Using a self-study approach where one author recounts the story of change in her science department and the other author acted as a critical friend, this short article presents Pākehā voice about how a secondary school formed a partnership with their local iwi to develop an authentic local curriculum for teaching science that deeply embedded mātauranga Māori, including the challenges and successes. This work began in 2019 with year nine students, which focused on developing students’ understanding and awareness of different knowledge systems, recognising the epistemic differences and how ways of thinking about and understanding phenomena can be different, yet linked. The particular focus of this paper is framed around year 11 given the recent revisions for the NCEA Level 1 science Achievement Standards. Through the partnership and work with Rangitāne o Manawatū, tūrangawaewae was utilised as an anchoring concept for student learning. Importantly, Māori students appreciated this paradigmatic shift and approach to teaching science, which attempted to give mātauranga Māori equal status with more-Western ways of knowing, and all students embraced learning about phenomena from different worldviews and appreciated their connections. Additionally, teachers found this approach useful to help build meaningful professional relationships with students. The journey described in this article can be utilised by other teachers and schools as they embrace this period of change in science education as an unprecedented opportunity.</p>