A wānanga in Whakatāne is celebrating its largest cohort of indigenous doctoral graduates.

Haka and waiata filled the main streets of Whakatāne, as regalia-wearing tauira - students - walked through town to celebrate graduation.

On Friday, May 10 Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi acknowledged the hard work of its tauira and marked a record year for the number of indigenous doctoral graduands in a ceremony.

Chief Executive Professor Wiremu Doherty says it's remarkable to be conferring nearly 2,500 tohu -  qualifications - in person and in absentia, with 14 of these at the doctoral level.

“Graduation is a chance to come together and celebrate the journey, acknowledging the commitment that goes into obtaining tohu, with the whānau who empowered tauira to pursue further education. It is a privilege to play a role in their development, and to send them off with well wishes to take their next steps.”

A pōwhiri was held at the beginning of the day at Te Mānuka Tūtahi marae, before graduands made their way to town for the traditional ‘Gown and Town’ hikoi - walk - before returning to Te Mānuka Tūtahi marae for the ceremony.

Kaimahi from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi with doctoral graduands. Photo: Supplied.

Among qualifications conferred was a Distinguished Fellowship in Education. Adrienne von Tunzelmann was awarded this by Awanuiārangi for her exemplary contributions to community development, governance and education.

Awanuiārangi is a tertiary education provider that offers programmes from entry-level foundational courses through to doctoral studies. It is the only Wānanga in Aotearoa New Zealand to offer doctoral studies and its focus is on enabling indigenous learning methods and programmes. 

“We are so proud to be at the forefront of indigenous studies, not only in Aotearoa New Zealand, but as an internationally renowned tertiary provider that supports an authentic experience of learning within a mātauranga Māori framework,” adds Professor Doherty.

Among guests at graduation were an overseas cohort from the Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence in Victoria, Australia. The group travelled to New Zealand to learn more about the indigenous learning model Awanuiārangi employs as their own indigenous-led education facility takes shape.

“We are really thrilled they could join us for this milestone for our tauira, particularly in a record- breaking year for the number of indigenous doctoral graduands, at 14. To be able to showcase our tauira, including international tauira from the likes of Washington in the US and Fiji, who have chosen us to further their education, is a real highlight,” explains Professor Doherty.

Graduation is one of two significant events for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in May. Iwi Taketake, a symposium for the doctoral graduands to present their research to their community, has also taken place on Thursday 9 May.

Research leads presented findings on various topics from the impacts on whakapapa of removing children from families, Reo Māori reclamation, river protection, as well as identity politics.

Whānau enjoyed a day of thought-provoking panels, and a keynote address from Distinguished Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith - one of the most influential and internationally recognised Māori scholars and researchers.

Council chairperson, the Hon. Justice Layne Harvey, is proud of the indigenous lens being applied to projects that will make major impacts.

“Awanuiārangi represents a tradition of maintaining and enhancing indigenous and contemporary knowledge that stretches back beyond the centuries before colonisation.  Through the many hands and minds that have helped shaped this institution over the past three decades, we have drawn on the capability and capacity of those traditions to enable our tauira to focus on indigenous areas of study.

“Iwi Taketake is a demonstration of what the future looks like, with curious and inquisitive minds leading the way. Our eagerness to discover the next steps our tauira take is matched by the immense pride we feel in their achievements as our 2023 graduates.”

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi:

Founded in Whakatāne in 1992 by Ngāti Awa and officially registered as a Wānanga in 1997 under s162 of the Education Act 1989, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi is the only wānanga that delivers programmes from foundation studies through to Doctorates of Philosophy.

This accent on higher qualifications is captured in the title, using the term “Whare” to describe this institution as a higher house of learning, similar to the ancient Whare Wānanga academies. 

Today, with campuses in Whakatāne, Auckland and Whangārei, the vision of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi is to encourage and enable its more than 5,900 students, including indigenous Doctoral students from Washington state and Hawaii, to “pursue knowledge to the greatest depths and its broadest horizons,” and make a difference to communities in New Zealand, and internationally.