Te Pūtahi-a-Toi , School of Māori Knowledge

Nau mai haere mai ki Te Pūtahi-a-Toi. Welcome to the School of Māori Knowledge.

At Te Pūtahi-a-Toi – School of Māori Knowledge we are committed to producing graduates and research inspired by te ao Māori (the Māori world). We contribute to te ao whānui (the wider world), especially those communities where we live, work and play.

He mihi

Haere mai rā ki Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, ki Te Pūtahi-a-Toi. Tomokia te whare ako, te whare o te mātauranga, kia tīkina mai ai ngā kete o te wānanga. Mā tēnei ara, e tutuki ai ngā wawata me ngā tūmanako e ngākaunuitia ana mō te rangi āpōpō. Haere mai ki ōna whenua kura, ko Turitea ki Manawatū, ko Ōtehā ki Ōkahukura, ko Pukeahu ki Te Ūpoko o Te Ika. Ko Te Pūrehuroa e whakahuatia nei, he rarangi whetū ki te rangi, he hīnātore ki te māramatanga. Inā hoki, ahakoa he tīmatanga, kāhore he mutunga o tēnei mahi te whai i te mātauranga. Nō reira, nau mai, kia mārama ai ngā pūmanawa, kia pakari ai ngā pūkenga. Ka ea te kōrero, mā tini, mā mano ka rapa te whai, ka hua ai te wānanga.

Welcome

Warm greetings to you all and we hope Te Pūtahi-a-Toi is part of the next steps in your knowledge journey.

The name of Massey University, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, is a symbolic reference to the pursuit of knowledge. Te Pūrehuroa represents the infinite constellations of stars that radiate the skies above us, illuminating a pathway towards a future you will cultivate and forge during your time at Massey.

The acquisition of knowledge brings with it a lifelong commitment to learning and is a journey without end from inception to infinity. We also encourage you to draw inspiration from te ao Māori and in the spirit of the great knowledge seeker Tāne, we hope your time here is fulfilling, that you prepare yourself well for the challenges ahead of you, and that you may aspire to attain ultimate success.

Ako tahi me mātou – Study with us

Enrol in programmes and courses that explore the Māori world. Bring new insights and new perspectives to pressing contemporary social issues. Contribute positively to whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori development.

Explore by area of interest

Explore a selection of qualifications relating to your interests.

Te Aho Tātairangi: Bachelor of Teaching and Learning Kura Kaupapa Māori – BTchgL

Ko Te Aho Matua te tūāpapa o te kaupapa o Te Aho Tātairangi. Ko ia tonu te anga whakarite, whakahaere hoki i ngā āhuatanga katoa a te kaupapa. Kia tupu nga ahuatanga tuku iho o tona pumanawa ki nga tihi teitei o te taumata.

Te Aho Paerewa Postgraduate Diploma Teaching and Learning in Māori Medium – PGDi

Ko Te Aho Matua te tūāpapa o te kaupapa o Te Aho Paerewa. Ko ia tonu te anga whakarite, whakahaere hoki i ngā āhuatanga katoa a te kaupapa. Kia tu pakari, tu rangatira ia hei raukura mo tona iwi.

Study Māori knowledge

Massey explores Māori cultural, educational, health and economic development. Tirohia ngā tohu kaupapa Māori. Find out about our Māori qualifications.

Close up of a person performing a waiata with a group Close up of a person performing a waiata with a group Close up of a person performing a waiata with a group Close up of a person performing a waiata with a group

Ko wai mātou – Our people

Our people make us who we are. Our passionate staff are agents of positive Māori development and closely connected to their own communities.

Professor Hēmi Whaanga

Professor Hēmi Whaanga

Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe, Waitaha
Head of School Te Pūtahi-a-Toi

Hēmi Whaanga specialises in mātauranga, indigenous methodologies, linguistics and te reo Māori, ethics and technology.  His background includes research, leadership and teaching, and he has contributed at disciplinary, institutional, national and international levels.  

Associate Professor Darryn Joseph

Associate Professor Darryn Joseph

Ngāti Maniapoto
Ahorangi Tūhono, Associate Professor

An award-winning author and expert lecturer, Darryn Joseph helps students and readers grow in confidence with te reo Māori. Darryn has been writing in te reo since the early 2000s. His creative works include young adult fiction and stories for tamariki. Darryn also writes on topics such as Māori immersion education, how to compose haka, and how to write poetry in te reo Māori.

 Mari Ropata-Te Hei

Mari Ropata-Te Hei

No Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Te Ati Awa me Ngāti Toa Rangatira
Senior lecturer

He Pukenga Whakaako ki roto i te hōtaka o Te Aho Tātairangi me Te Aho Paerewa, me te tohu pouako ka whakaakohia ki te reo Māori mo ngā pouako Kura Kaupapa Māori - Te Aho Matua o Aotearoa.

I tōna wā kua noho hei kaiwhakaako, kātahi hei tumuaki ki roto i tē Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rito , ā ki Turoa Kohanga Reo hoki.

Associate Professor Fiona Te Momo

Associate Professor Fiona Te Momo

Ngāti Porou
Associate Professor

Fiona Te Momo focuses on the development of indigenous knowledge and Māori development – social, political and economic development. This includes Māori land, social work practices, whānau development, and a Māori perspective of biotechnology.

Professor Huia Jahnke

Professor Huia Jahnke

Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Toa Rangātira, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine
Professor of Māori and Indigenous Education

Huia Jahnke's research interests include Māori and Indigenous education, Indigenous research methodologies, and the ethics of knowledge production. Her first career, as a primary school teacher in South Auckland, gave her insights into where education wasn’t working for Māori and Pacific children.

Dr Rangi Mātāmua

Dr Rangi Mātāmua

Tūhoe
Professor of Mātauranga Māori

Rangi Mātāmua is an expert in Māori scientific knowledge, astronomy and navigation. He travels extensively throughout the country giving public lectures about Matariki and Māori astronomy. In 2023 he was named New Zealander of the Year and in 2020, he received the Prime Minister's Science Communications Prize and has been a leading proponent of making Matariki a public holiday.

Rangahau – Research

Our staff and students engage in research projects that cover Māori development, health, language, education and more.

Our research is informed by te ao Māori (the Māori world). It draws on Māori knowledge, ways of knowing, and associated practices to navigate towards futures that are more just, sustainable and equitable for Māori.

Find out more about our research

Kāhui ākonga onamata – Meet our graduates

“Young people are contributing to the future of the language and making it relevant to their lives. If any generation is likely to show the future of te reo Māori it’ll be those who can speak Māori, and it’ll be the younger generation who’ve been raised through Māori medium education.”
Hinurewa Poutu

Ngāti Rangi, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Maniapoto

Doctor of Philosophy

“What I took away from the te reo course component was a stronger foundation of tikanga (protocols and custom), cultural identity and personal value as a Māori.”
Talisa Kupenga

Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Mate

BA Te Reo Māori (minor)

“It was a great programme, all in Māori. He tohu pai, katoa i te reo Māori.”
Aroha Rauhihi

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Ruanui

Te Aho Paerewa Postgraduate Diploma Teaching and Learning in Māori Medium

Whakapā mai – Contact us

Te Pūtahi-a-Toi – Manawatū campus

Location

Physical address
Bourke Road
Turitea Campus
Massey University
Palmerston North
New Zealand

Postal Address
Te Pūtahi-a-Toi – School of Māori Knowledge
Massey University
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North 4442
New Zealand
(Internal postcode PN601)

Use our Manawatū campus maps or find us on Google Maps.

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Looking for a staff member? Visit our staff directory or use Expertise search.