350 students graduated. There are about 4.500 students enrolled at the University.

While Te Wananga o Raukawa is based in Otaki, most of the students enrolled are from other districts.

Students at Graduation came from near (for example Porirua, Levin) and far (for example, the East Coast, Tauranga).

Students graduated at various levels. Diploma (‘Heke'); Bachelor (Poutuarongo); Postgraduate (Poutahu) and Masters (Tahuhu).

Each student received a certificate and a symbol of achievement. An anchor (punga); a flute (putoruno); a staff (pou whenua) or an oratory and leadership staff (tewhatewha).

Subjects included: physical well-being; Maori Laws and Philosophy; Environmental Management; Maori Knowledge; Maori Language; Design and Art; Social Work; Teaching (early childhood to higher levels); Business Management and Information Management.

A highlight of the day was the support given by a student's family and their local area or school. Each graduate may have been given a karanga (support chant) or challenging haka.

The day was very colourful too in that students often wore beautiful colourful cloaks (kakahu) as they received their certificates.

Whatarangi Winiata, who was one of the founders of Te Wananga o Raukawa, was one of the elders who greeted each graduate with a hongi.

Currently nearly three-quarters of the students are women. While this ensures a strong future for Maori, the call went out for more men to enrol.

Several graduating students have Pacific origins.

Source

• Supplied: Pa Piripi Cody

They were presented by the World Indigenous Nations University (WINU).

For the people of Otaki, of particular interest was their own whanau member, Oriwia Raureti (Ngati Raukawa).

She is currently the Executive Director of Operations at Te Wananga.

Oriwia has shown a passionate commitment to Maori people and education.

She follows a line of teachers from her late mother and sister. Oriwia is a leader in promoting te reo Maori and Maori excellence in research and education.

She is committed to her Catholic Church, her wider Community and to sports. Oriwia is a leader in Maori management.

The other recipients were Wiremu Kaa, Patricia Grace

Wiremu Kaa (Ngati Porou) was recognised because of his contribution as a native Maori speaker and his teaching and influence on Maori studies.

He was instrumental in the establishment of kohanga reo.

Patricia Grace (Ngati Toa) was recognised because of her literary accomplishments and her writing around Maori themes.

She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters.

The awarding of the doctorates recognise a special contribution to community and education by various indigenous people in the world.

The graduation took place before family and friends and some indigenous people from around the world, from Alaska to Australia and the Pacific.

Te Wananga o Raukawa is a Maori University or 'wananga' situated at Otaki. Formally established in 1981 it caters for about 1300 students both on line and with actual presence at the University.

A coalition of three local Iwi (Ngati Toa, Te Ati Awa and Ngati Raukawa) te Wananga o Raukawa has as its basic aim excellence in higher education delivered with respect for traditional Maori learning.

While embracing use of te reo Maori and development of the student's home marae and tradition, the university utilises contemporary educational content.

Among Te Wananga o Raukawa's current students are Marist priests Peter Healy and Phil Cody.

While their focus is on development of te reo Maori (Maori language), the wider purpose is the privilege of living alongside Maori and sharing their life journey.

Peter and Phil live in a community at Otaki in partnership with Maori at Pukekaraka Marae, Otaki.

They are preserving the link the Church has with Maori through the Marist family from the beginning of the Catholic Church history in Wellington.

WINU is a world network for Indigenous higher education. It is founded upon and operating within the sovereignty of indigenous peoples.

Through its networking and the leadership of the accredited WINHEC member institutions and associated Alliances it offers co-joint undergraduate and post graduate programmes.

These programmes incorporate both western and cultural knowledge.

Source

• Supplied
• winhec.org
• wananga.com