More than 2,000 tauira have graduated from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, marking a major milestone in the growth of Māori education and the strength of mātauranga Māori.
At ceremonies held in Whakatāne, over 2,000 tohu were conferred across 31 qualifications – including the first-ever graduates from the Diploma in Content Creation (Broadcasting) and the Postgraduate Diploma in Tikanga and Law.
Chief Executive Professor Wiremu Doherty says the scale of the achievement reflects the impact of the wānanga.
“Each graduate represents not only personal achievement, but a wider commitment to whānau, hapū and iwi.”
He says programmes grounded in tikanga Māori continue to grow, with 166 graduates in Te Pōkaitahi Reo Levels 5–6 – the largest cohort to date.
Celebrations began with a pōwhiri at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae, followed by the much-anticipated ‘Gown and Town’ hīkoi through Whakatāne. This year, kura from Mātatā through to the East Coast lined the streets, performing haka and waiata tautoko – with some schools taking part for the first time.
Around 250 graduates attended in person, backed by their whānau and communities.
The ceremony also honoured two leaders with Honorary Doctorates in Māori Development – Robert Edwards of Te Whakatōhea and Charles Tawhiao of Ngāi Te Rangi – recognising their lifelong contributions to iwi and Māori advancement.
In a major announcement, the wānanga also unveiled plans for Te Whare Hiranga o Mātauranga Māori – a new institute dedicated to advancing Māori knowledge systems. The institute will be led by a professor holding an endowed chair named after renowned scholar Tā Hirini Mead.
Council Chair Justice Layne Harvey says the moment reflects both achievement and future direction.
“It speaks to where we are heading as a wānanga – strengthening and advancing our knowledge systems, while continuing to serve our people.”
For Radio Waatea, it’s a celebration not just of academic success – but of a growing movement to ensure mātauranga Māori continues to thrive for generations to come.
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