Learning the importance of indigenous values has been key for 2021 graduate Chris Pongi.
He is graduating from the Kaitiakitanga – Postgraduate Diploma in Bicultural Professional Supervision programme at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and says the year-long course has taught him valuable skills which will benefit him in his role as a registered nurse.
“It’s been a pleasure learning from our kaiako Kelly, John and Edith. They were powerful in their approach of teaching us of the importance of our indigenous values and our culture and how that fits into the context of today and the western system we live under,” he says.
One of the most important parts of his study had been learning more about himself, he says.
“For me, going back and doing the rangahau on my family and asking my mum and dad and family members questions has created a more deeper and meaningful life for myself and that’s something that I really would love to continue to pass on,” he says.
“Do more research on yourself and see how you can impact the world based on our indigenous values of respect, understanding, loyalty and equality in eduction, as well as acknowledging the sacrifices our ancestors made for us to be here.
“Without Te Wānanga o Aotearoa I probably wouldn’t have understood that level of thinking so thank you for your continued education of people like myself.”
Chris was one of our online graduation speakers this year. You can watch his speech in the video above and find information about our graduations on our graduations page.