Growing the next generation of Kaiako Reo Māori
Iwi Workforce Development Scholarships Programme
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao with the support of Matāra Ltd. is pleased to offer scholarships to support the development of future Te Arawa and Ngāti Manawa kaiako aiming to teach in rumaki and reo rua education.
These scholarships are funded through the Iwi Workforce Development initiative from the Ministry of Education, and are designed to grow a strong, sustainable Māori-medium teaching workforce for our iwi and communities.
2027 Applications
Kua tata mai - e toru ngā karahipi He Kura Huia mō te tau 2027, hei tautoko i ngā kaiako mō āpōpō o Te Arawa me Ngāti Manawa ki te whakaako i ngā kura rumaki me ngā kura reo rua.
Me rēhita mai kia whakaatu ai i tō hiahia.
Coming soon -three 2027 He Kura Huia scholarships are available to support future Te Arawa and Ngāti Manawa kaiako to teach in rumaki and reo rua settings.
Register your interest to be notified of the full scholarship details and when applications re-open.
To view the information and criteria of these scholarships please scroll to the bottom of this page.
Register Here
Ngā Kaiwhiwhi Karahipi 2026
“Tukua te reo kia rere ki ngā whakatupuranga”
He mihi nunui ki ngā kaiwhiwhi i ngā karahipi - He Kura Huia.
Big congratulations to our successful He Kura Huia Te Arawa and Ngāti Manawa scholarship recipients, arā ko:
Kura Palmer
Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Ngararanui, Ngāti Rangitihi
Te Aho Tātairangi, Massey University
“E hono ana ōku mahi whakaako ki te tuakiri o te tangata, ki te hitori o tātou te Māori me tō tātou ahurea, a, ōku mahi whakaako katoa kei te reo Māori, he whakamana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, he poipoi i ngā tamariki mokopuna kia tū rangatira hei raukura mō a rātou iwi maha, mō te iwi Māori anō hoki.”
Yani Stoneham
Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Te Roro o Te Rangi, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Manawa
Te Wānanga Takiura o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori
“Kei hea taku manatawa, taku manapou.
My greatest aspiration as a kaiako would be to see our language returned to our tamariki, to see them flourishing in their Māoritanga, in their Te Arawatanga. As kaiako, we're fighting for a reo that should never have been taken from us and I am pleased to serve my iwi in this way.”
Nikki Mitai
Ngāti Hui, Ngāti Koro, Ngāti Whakaue
Poutuarongo Te Rangakura, Te Wānanga o Raukawa
“Kei te hiahia ahau ki te whāngai ki ngā uri whakaheke o te kāinga ki ngā mātauranga hei eke ki te taumata e tika ana, kia whakatipu uri e matatau ana e maia hoki ki te reo, ki ngā tikanga, te ahurea Māori, ā, e pakari ana ki roto i ngā mahi tuhi, pānui, pāngarau aha atu.”
Kasey Taikato
Ngāti Pikiao
Te Tohu Paetahi Ako, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
“Since becoming an adult and beginning my own journey of learning te reo Māori and reconnecting with my culture, I have come to appreciate how beautiful and meaningful our language and tikanga are. That journey has strengthened my sense of identity, belonging, and connection to my whakapapa. It has also shown me the importance of creating learning environments where tamariki can grow up hearing and using te reo naturally, rather than having to rediscover it later in life.”
Aria Stoneham
Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Manawa
Te Wānanga Takiura o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori
“I want to become a kaiako in rumaki reo because growing up I did not have my reo Māori. I understand the importance of reclaiming and reconnecting with my reo and my culture that should have always been part of my life. That experience motivates me to help ensure the future generations have that opportunity to grow up immersed in te reo Māori from an early age, with pride and confidence in who they are.”
Roimata Brown
Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Tamateatutahi, Ngāti Tarāwhai, Ngāti Ngāraranui
Te Aho Tātairangi, Massey University
“Ko te ngākau te mata me te kūaha o te wairua. He rerekē tō ia tamaiti ao, he rerekē hoki te āhua o tā rātou ako me tā rātou mātauranga. Being the best kaiako starts with whanaungatanga. I believe becoming the kaiako I am in these spaces, I utilise both Education and everything Te Ao Māori offers, so our tamariki can succeed at both.
‘Kia tū pakari, tū rangatira ia hei raukura.’”
Unity Stone
Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Hui
Te Tohu Paetahi Ako, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiarangi
“For me, becoming a teacher here is more than a career, it’s an opportunity to give back to the people and place that raised me in our little town of Murupara. It is about continuing the legacy of those who taught me and helping shape the next generation with the same care, commitment and belief that was shown to me.”
Te manu ka kai i te miro, nōna te ngahere, te manu ka kai i te mātauranga, nōna te ao.
Koia tēnei, ko te ara ki tēnā ao. Nō reira kia mataraa!
Information and Criteria
He Aha?
What is it?
He Kura Huia is a scholarship programme funded through the Ministry of Education’s Iwi Workforce Development initiative.
The programme supports tauira to become kaiako reo Māori by providing funding to help them access, continue, and complete Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in Māori Medium pathways, including kura kaupapa Māori and rumaki reo Māori settings.
He Kura Huia is administered by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao, with operational support from Matāra Ltd.
Mō Wai?
Who can apply?
These scholarships are for tauira Māori who:
whakapapa to Te Arawa and/or Ngāti Manawa
are currently enrolled, in primary or secondary Initial Teacher Education (ITE)
are studying Māori Medium or kaupapa Māori teaching pathways
Preference will be given to tauira who intend to teach in the Te Arawa–Ngāti Manawa regions after completing their studies.
*please note Early Childhood Education Teacher training is not an eligible field of study for this scholarship.
What will you receive?
Successful applicants may receive:
scholarship funding to support study costs
targeted bursary support for urgent needs (e.g. transport, childcare, placements).
mentoring support
opportunities to attend wānanga and connect with other tauira.
Support is designed to help tauira stay in study and complete their teaching qualification.
Te Whiwhi?