Sharing knowledge and networking with Māori tertiary staff from all over New Zealand were the highlights of a national conference held at WITT.
That’s according to WITT tumu pae arahi Tengaruru Wineera, who says 130 people attended Te Toi Tauira Mō Te Mataraki from October 19 to 21.
“It was the whole tertiary sector coming together and discussing issues we have in common and looking at how we could address those problems collectively,” Tengaruru says.
Every polytech, institute and university in New Zealand was represented at the 12th annual conference, where Sir Wira Gardiner, chairman of the Tertiary Education Commission, was the guest of honour.
They were all welcomed into WITT’s new Māori and Pacifica centre in the heart of the campus. “It was wonderful – we had so much room. All of the participants loved our campus and our facilities,” Tengaruru says.
“It was a successful conference in that there was a lot of sharing of models and a lot of robust discussion about models that didn’t work as well as ones that did. There was an openness to share these models across the sector for those looking for solutions to engage Māori.”
There were presentations from WITT staff, including one from Shane Wallacehoskin on the Taranaki Rugby League Education Academy.
That has led to Shane being asked to give a follow-up presentation at an education expo at AUT University.
Another presentation was given by WITT’s ahorangi, Dr Huirangi Waikerepuru, who talked about the concept of education evolving from a Māori perspective.
“He is instrumental in establishing Te Reo Māori as one of the three official languages of New Zealand,” Tengaruru says. “We are very lucky to have him.”
Also, Te Reo Taranaki gave a talk about the partnership model established with WITT to deliver the language.
Another session was presented by Ruakere Hond from Te Kupenga Matauranga o Taranaki. “He talked about research that they had undertaken to identify how best Māori learn in an education system.”
The theme of the hui was: “The never-ending cycle of conflict and peace that seeks to challenge the human endeavour of existence, which is to maintain the balance between what is known and that which is yet to be discovered.”