Te Tohu Tiaki Taonga

Are you passionate about preserving your history?

Taonga are bridges across time, connecting us to our tūpuna in the past and our mokopuna in the future. Careful archiving and preservation ensures that these taonga, along with their stories, are passed forward for future generations.

Your taonga may be traditional waka, whakairo or whāriki, or modern photographs or data, even waiata or moteatea. Learn how to preserve and protect the taonga of your whānau, marae, hapū and iwi in a way that honours their mana and protects their legacy.

When you successfully complete this programme, you will receive this qualification:

• Te Tohu Tiaki Taonga (Kaupae 5)

• the application of tikanga in the preservation and archiving of taonga tuku iho (heirlooms, cultural artifacts and digital taonga)
• the process required when taonga are discovered, understanding the nature of relationships, the environment and rights and obligations of everyone involved
• indigenous sovereignty, data sovereignty, intellectual property and copyright associated with taonga
• traditional and contemporary technical skills and knowledge required to lead the archiving and preservation of taonga
• environmental factors affecting the archiving and preservation of taonga tuku iho, especially within the marae environment

Want to keep studying?

You can study anthropology, museum studies, history, or archaeology at degree or postgraduate level through another tertiary education provider. If you're interested in teaching, you can apply to study He Korowai Ākonga - Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching).

Want to pursue employment? These pathways may be open to you:

• Assistant museologist
• Assistant curator
• Assistant conservator
• Assistant librarian
• Iwi historian
• Iwi researcher
• Tikanga-related employment

Want to work with your iwi, hapū, marae, or whānau? You may be able to work in these areas:

• Whakapapa
• Tikanga
• Iwi, hapū, marae trustees
• Papakāinga/reserves trustees
• Kaitiaki taonga
• Kaitiaki taiao

Some of your learning time will be kaiako-directed. Your kaiako will guide you through instruction and learning activities at a scheduled time and place.

• This might be in a classroom, online sessions, one-day wānanga, or noho.

The rest of your learning time will be activity-directed. Activity-directed learning is self-guided in your own time and space.

• This might consist of completing online activities, attending events, preparing for assessments, or engaging with supporting materials.

Some learning activities will need to be completed online. You’ll need to have access to an internet-connected device to participate in this programme.

This is a full-time programme that consists of 120 credits.

The programme is delivered over 40 weeks, which means you’ll be expected to commit an average of 30 hours per week to your study.

320 learning hours will be kaiako-directed. These hours will be split between:

• Classroom and/or online sessions
• Up to 4 x one-day wānanga which will be scheduled by your kaiako
• Up to 8 x noho which will be scheduled by your kaiako

The distribution of learning hours between these study modes is at the discretion of your kaiako. For more information on what’s being offered, please contact Tatau Pounamu, our call centre.

880 learning hours will be activity-directed. This means you will be expected to complete activities in your own time for an average of 22 hours per week.

To enrol in this programme, you must:

• be 16 years or older
• be a New Zealand citizen or resident (or citizen of Australia, Tokelau, Niue or the Cook Islands)
• reside in New Zealand

The 2025 fees for this programme are:

• $2,000 GST inclusive

Are you eligible for fees-free study?

First-time tertiary students studying fee-paying programmes may be able to study fee-free in their last year. To find out whether you are eligible for fees-free study for our fee-paying programmes, visit feesfree.govt.nz.

Kōnae 1: Raranga | 15 credits

Raranga is an art form passed down from tupuna connecting people and place through practice. Understanding the characteristics of taonga and the tikanga practices that are applied are akin to the practices involved in raranga.

This kōnae ako looks to cultivate knowledge of the characteristics of taonga while also determining the tikanga practices applied to taonga tuku iho.

Kōnae 2: Whakairo | 15 credits

Whakairo is a visual art form that imparts whakapapa, stories and te ao Māori belief systems. Similar to cultivating the knowledge surrounding taonga tuku iho, the language of whakairo achieves this through connection, whakapapa and narratives.

This kōnae ako looks at the connection of whakapapa to taonga tuku iho, and the importance of provenance and narratives to whānau, marae, hapū and iwi communities.

Kōnae 3: Whatu | 15 credits

A weaving practice that connects the (aho) horizontal and vertical (whenu) threads together. Akin to exercising mana motuhake and understanding the management of taonga, the broader value of whatu is about connecting threads, iwi, and entities together for the wellbeing of whānau, marae, hapū, and iwi.

This kōnae ako demonstrates the practical expression of the principle of mana motuhake. Ākonga will understand relevant processes, legislation and appropriate stakeholders that allow whānau, marae, hapū and/or iwi to exercise mana motuhake in managing taonga finds.

Kōnae 4: Whiri | 15 credits

Whiri is a practice of plaiting cord or rope that can be used to connect and strengthen handles for kete, waist girdles, or kupenga (fishing nets). In this context, the kōnae ako will look at strengthening the understanding of managing taonga through peripheral but critical considerations.

This kōnae ako looks at legislation, policy and guidelines pertaining to taonga. Positions in indigenous sovereignty including data sovereignty alongside intellectual property, ownership and copyright of taonga will be considered.

Kōnae 5: Kōwhaiwhai | 15 credits

Kōwhaiwhai is an artistic expression portraying the mana of each marae, hapū, iwi, ancestors and their people. Connection to this kōnae ako is through iwi and Māori specific traditional practices used to manage taonga.

This kōnae ako looks at practices in protecting, archiving and/or preserving taonga. It will include traditional mātauranga Māori science knowledge that was used to protect, archive and preserve taonga. It will also look at how the application of kaitiakitanga of taonga tuku iho can support whānau, hapū and iwi communities.

Kōnae 6: Tāniko | 15 credits

Used as an ornamental border, tāniko weave together narratives. In this context it looks at connecting the many contemporary processes used to manage taonga.

This kōnae ako looks at practices in protecting, archiving and/or preserving taonga. It will include contemporary science knowledge used to archive and preserve taonga and how the application of manaakitanga of taonga tuku iho can support whānau, hapū and iwi communities.

Kōnae 7: Whāriki | 15 credits

An art practice valued for its artistry and essence, whāriki are a taonga that epitomise skill and knowledge and are an intrinsic component of marae throughout Aotearoa.

This kōnae ako analyses the marae complex and surrounding environment in order to select and apply mātauranga Māori and science knowledge for protection, archiving and/or preservation.

Kōnae 8: Tukutuku | 15 credits

Tukutuku binds the materials of a whare or waka together. In this context the weaving together of ideas, narratives and significant strategies in the leadership and management of taonga tuku iho.

This kōnae ako will look at the requirements to lead and manage the protection, preservation and/or archiving of taonga tuku iho including developing and maintaining relationships, communication, and physical and spiritual considerations.