Kāpuia graduates

Truedy Taia is all about empowering women to achieve in a male-dominated industry. Truedy leads the first all-women crew for Rotorua-based forestry organisation, Mahi Rākau after being invited to start one a few years ago.

Around 40 Māori curators from museums, galleries, archives and museums gathered at O-Tāwhao Marae in Te Awamutu over the weekend for their annual hui aimed at networking, sharing knowledge and discussing how to grow Māori capacity in the sector.

Falling pregnant at 15 was a big surprise for Paeroa teen Ella-Grace Tissingh, but with the support of the Youth Services programme at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, she’s managed to gain NCEA level 2, get her full license, and start up a successful business.

Descended from a long line of undertakers, it’s no surprise that it was tangi that brought Delano Murray (Ngāti Kurī) to Heretaunga, where he’s a funeral director for Simplicity Funerals and studying Toi Paematua Level 5 in raranga with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

As a young girl, Barbara Wheto always had a fascination with harakeke and the art of weaving. But growing up in an era where being Māori and Māori culture were scorned upon, she was never encouraged to explore the art form.

The 2023 Dr. Buck Nin Memorial Scholarship recipient for Māori contemporary art was 23-year-old Antonia van Sitter, who put the funds towards completing her Master of Architecture thesis.

Mahia te mahi hei oranga whakatipu, hei oranga tuku iho mō te iwi, ahakoa ngā piere nuku o te wā. Ko Rodney Whanga o Tainui waka, nō ngā iwi o Ngāti Maniapoto me Waikato te whakatinanatanga o te kōrero nei.

Sondra Bacharach is no stranger to education. She currently teaches a university philosophy programme in Aotearoa and has experienced classroom environments as a student within the American, French and German education systems.

In Porirua, Deaf tauira Tania Ali (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), recently walked the graduation stage to receive her Certificate in Small Business and Project Management.

Almost 3 months ago, Tara McAllister made the transition from mainstream academia to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, where she has taken on the role of Kairangahau Matua within the newly established Rangahau Centre, Te Manawahoukura.