Established in 1984 in Te Awamutu by Dr. Rongo Wetere and Dr. Buck Nin as the Waipā Race Relations and Cultural Trust (later the Waipā Christian School and O-Tāwhao Marae), Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (TWoA) was formally recognized as a statutory wānanga under the Education Amendment Act in 1993. Guided by the overarching mission of whānau (family) transformation through education and the foundational tenets of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge and worldviews), TWoA is one of the largest indigenous-led educational institutions in the world, operating across more than 80 delivery locations throughout Aotearoa. TWoA is internationally celebrated for revitalizing Te Reo Māori (the Māori language), Tikanga Māori (cultural protocols and customs), Toi Māori (traditional carving, weaving, and visual arts), Bicultural Social Work, Bilingual Teacher Education, and community-based vocational enterprise. Its learning environments embody whakawhanaungatanga (relational connection), manaakitanga (hospitality and care), and ako (reciprocal learning).

Why Study Here?