Te Tirohanga Māori
Connect to the rich cultural heritage of Aotearoa
Tirohanga whānui
Ground yourself in te ao Māori
Develop your skills in tikanga Māori from foundation level to advanced practice. You'll move through clear pathways, grounded in kaupapa Māori values, so you can apply tikanga practices in everyday life.
Ngā hōtaka e wātea ana
Programmes available
Ngā kaupapa whakataki
Introductory programmes (3)
Levels 1-3
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He Papa Tikanga
Home-based learning
Open for applicationsGet insight into a Māori worldview. Learn about Māori traditions, values and protocols from the comfort of your own home.
- Level 3
- Home-based
- No fees
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Te Ao Māori Foundation
Level 3 certificate
Get a great insight into the Māori world through learning about art, language, and cultural practices.
- Level 3
- Noho
- No fees
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Te Whāinga o te Ao Tikanga
Level 3 certificate
Learn the foundations of tikanga, why it exists, and how it can be applied to modern life.
- Level 3
- Noho
- No fees
Ngā kaupapa takawaenga
Intermediate programmes (7)
Levels 4-6
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He Tikanga Whakaaro
Home-based learning
Open for applicationsDive deeper into a broad range of Māori knowledge, beliefs and values, and learn about tikanga practices from the comfort of your own home.
- Level 4
- Home-based
- No fees
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Manu Taiko - Toro Parirau
Certificate in Māori Governance Level 4
Combine modern governance practices and traditional Māori ways of leading and managing.
- Level 4
- Classroom
- No fees
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Te Kunenga o te Ao Tikanga
Level 4 certificate
Open for applicationsLearn how tikanga Māori helps form relationships between others and the world around you.
- Level 4
- Noho
- No fees
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Te Tohu Tātai Whetū
Certificate in Māori Astronomy
Tātai Whetū is an introduction to Māori astronomy. Learn how the sun, moon, and stars have guided the lives of our ancestors for generations.
- Level 4
- Classroom
- No fees
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Te Hapūtanga o te Ao Tikanga
Level 5 diploma
Open for applicationsLearn how to contribute to tikanga practices and manage your own tikanga practices.
- Level 5
- Noho
- No fees
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Te Tohu Tiaki Taonga
Level 5
Open for applicationsExplore traditional and contemporary ways of preserving and archiving taonga, from toi Māori to digital data.
- Level 5
- Classroom
- No fees
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Te Whānautanga o te Ao Tikanga
Level 6 diploma
Open for applicationsGet the skills to become a leader in your community’s practice of tikanga.
- Level 6
- Noho
- No fees
Kaupapa anamata
Upcoming events
He Puāwaitanga Kaitāia 2026
Graduation Ceremony, Kaitāia
He Puāwaitanga Whangārei 2026
Graduation Ceremony, Whangārei
He Puāwaitanga Tainui 2026
Graduation Ceremony, Tainui
He Puāwaitanga Tauranga 2026
Graduation Ceremony, Tauranga
He Puāwaitanga Whakatāne 2026
Graduation Ceremony, Whakatāne
He Puāwaitanga Kawerau 2026
Graduation Ceremony, Kawerau
He Puāwaitanga Whirikoka 2026
Graduation Ceremony, Gisborne
Pitopito kōrero o te wā
Latest news
Learning tikanga to strengthen community work
After making the move to Aotearoa in 2014 from Germany, Almaz Bergz set out to gain a better understanding of the people, whenua, and culture that shape life here.
Thriving as a kaiako after He Korowai Ākonga
When Marlena Martin began her studies in He Korowai Ākonga – Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) in 2023, she never imagined where it would take her and how much she would grow as an individual.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa launches new international reo Māori learning
iReo is a flexible, self-directed, online short course made up of 5 standalone modules, each running over 6 weeks. Learners can study at their own pace, weaving te reo Māori into everyday life alongside work, whānau, and other commitments.
Wānanga business programme helps launch The Dog Nanny
Ōtautahi local Jane Dungey turned her passion for animals into The Dog Nanny after completing the Certificate in Small Business at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
From closed doors to open pathways
After the closure of Grace Foundation Whanganui, Craig Kara used his Manaaki Tāngata studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to create Te Ara Kimihia, a kaupapa supporting tāne toward positive futures. His journey of healing, leadership, and transformation now inspires others to find their own pathway forward.
Governance grounded in te ao Māori for future generations
Discover how Māori governance grounded in te ao Māori is shaping future generations. Learn about Manu Taiko – Toro Parirau, a unique programme at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that empowers whānau with tikanga-based leadership and decision-making skills.
Companion of Te Apārangi, Champion of Te Reo Māori
Te Rita Papesch, musician, educator, and kapa haka stalwart, has been inducted as a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. Discover her inspiring journey of music, haka, and te reo Māori, and how her lifelong dedication to Māori culture shaped generations.
Keil Caskey – former tauira, now kaiako
Keil Caskey’s journey from tauira to kaiako at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa shows the transformative power of toi Māori education. Discover how his passion for taonga pūoro and commitment to whānau and whakapapa inspired him to teach and give back to his community.
Building confidence, careers, and culture through Māori performing arts
Discover how Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s Certificate in Māori Performing Arts goes beyond kapa haka, empowering tauira with skills in drama, screen acting, and public speaking. Hear how graduates like Niquita Samuel are building confidence, careers, and cultural pride.
Making connections between media and Māoritanga
Lizzie Dunn created Te Arawhata to help people reconnect with te ao Māori through media, resources, and kōrero. Discover how her reo journey and passion for sharing knowledge are inspiring thousands to embrace Māoritanga and strengthen cultural connections.
He Māmā, He Rangahau, He Moemoeā
Alex Maddox is turning her lived experience as a māmā into a powerful Rangahau kaupapa through He Waka Hiringa at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Discover how her vision aims to amplify whānau voices in research and policy for tamariki with vision impairments.
Royal Society Fellowship for Kairangahau Matua
Dr Tara McAllister of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has been awarded the prestigious Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowship from Royal Society Te Apārangi. Discover how her research will transform Indigenous science, strengthen mātauranga Māori, and advance equity in Aotearoa’s research sector.