About Us
lady speaking

Ko Wai Mātou?

Te Wānanga Ihorangi – formerly known as Oati, began in 2018 and is a registered charitable trust. As a kaupapa, we are committed to the reclamation, preservation, and revitalisation of te reo Māori in Aotearoa. We see the flourishing of te reo and tikanga Māori as inherently tied to the spiritual, physical, and social well-being of our communities. Our programmes, curriculum resources, and media content are all aimed at supporting this mission.

A unique aspect of Te Wānanga Ihorangi is our commitment to seeing te reo Māori as the primary medium in which our hapori whakapono (e.g. Hāhi) express their faith and beliefs. This vision and mission are captured in our organisation whakatauākī:

Ko te reo te kauwaka o taku whakapono

(Te reo Māori is the sacred vessel of my faith)

Made up of whānau who come from Ringatu, Mihinare, Te Hāhi Iriiri, and Te Hāhi Pakipaki whakapapa; this whakapono-based language school will be the only one of its kind in Aotearoa.

Ngā Mātāpono

WHAKAPAPA

All things are woven together and interdependent. We know who we are and where we belong when we understand our place within these relationships.

TE AO MĀRAMA

The journey of learning is a process that everyone can participate in. It doesn’t matter what your starting point is, we are all capable of growing, achieving, and contributing.

MĀHAKI

Humility, service, and kindness should define our interactions with one another.

WHAKAPONO

Te Wānanga Ihorangi is inspired by the story of Te Rongopai and our Christian faith is the foundation of our motivation and work.

WHĀNAUNGATANGA

We understand ourselves as a collective and are committed to developing and maintaining strong relationships with each other. We also recognise that when you come through the door, so does your whānau. We aspire to create a learning context that values and actively engages with those you hold most dear.

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Ngā Kaimahi

Anameka

Anameka Paenga

Tumuaki | Co-Principal

(Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāi Tai)

Language exponent, academic, education specialist, and renowned kapa haka composer and performer, Anameka is a recognised leader within all of her chosen fields of work. As a longtime performer and leader within Ōpōtiki-mai-Tawhiti and Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau-a-Apanui, her passion for teaching led her to develop and lead undergraduate and postgraduate performing arts programmes at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiarangi. A graduate of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo, she continues to teach and advocate for Te Reo Māori at the highest levels. In more recent years she has transitioned into educational leadership roles with NZQA and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, ensuring the educational outcomes for Māori students and programmes are of the highest quality. A proponent of Māori philosophy and teaching pedagogy, she received First Class Honours for her Master of Arts thesis titled ‘Karangaranga te muri.’
TeKarere

Rev’d Te Karere Scarborough

Tumuaki | Co-Principal

(Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hauā)

Poet, community educator, and whānau advocate, Te Karere Scarborough has spent the last 15 years working in the community-wellbeing and arts sector. During this time, he was largely based at Parenting Place. He held a variety of roles there that included leading the Attitude Programme for Schools, National Young Leaders’ Day, Toolbox, Building Awesome Whānau and Space programmes. An appointed trustee of his hapū board, Whatitiri Māori Reserves Trust, he has also held governance positions at Maxim Institute, the Mihinare social service provider Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri, and the youth development organisation Zeal. Te Karere holds qualifications from Te Wānanga Takiura, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Unitec, and is concurrently completing his Masters in Chaplaincy through the University of Otago. He was the founding CEO of Te Wānanga Ihorangi and feels privileged to lead alongside Anameka.

Hamuera

Hamuera Tamihana

Kaiwhakahaere Marau

(Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Mutunga, Kai Tangata)

Hamuera has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Canterbury and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching from the University of Waikato. Straight out of tertiary education, he became an Assistant Housemaster and teacher at St Paul’s Collegiate School. He then shifted to Tauranga and became the HOD of Māori Studies at Bethlehem College. With over a decade of experience teaching and developing curricula, Te Wānanga Ihorangi is excited to have Hamuera onboard full-time with us. Together with his wife Aroha (of Maimoa Creative), they have 3 tamariki: Te Rauriki Māia (5), Manahau Ākina (3), and Atamai Ewai.
TeHira

Rev’d Te Hira Paenga

Kaiako

(Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu)

Te Hira is a Raukura alumnus of the Kura Kaupapa Māori schooling system. After schooling, he earned tertiary and postgraduate degrees from the University of Auckland, University of Waikato, Auckland College of Education, Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo, St John’s Theological College, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, and he is currently completing his Ph.D. in Theology through the University of Otago with a focus on theology and kapa haka (Māori performing arts). Te Hira comes from a teaching background and has held roles as HoD Māori, Assistant Principal, and Deputy Principal at Te Wharekura Māori o Hoani Waititi, Hato Pētera, Te Aute College, and most recently Ōpōtiki College.
Waiora

Rev’d Waiora Te Moni

Kura Reo Tutor

(Ngāti Haka (Tūhoe), Waitaha, Tapuika (Te Arawa), Ngāti Hine)

Born and raised in Aotearoa’s kiwifruit capital, Te Puke – Waiora is deeply committed to whānau, whakapapa, and whakapono. Passionate about the place of Māori in God’s story for humanity, Waiora is currently studying theology at St John’s Theological College and hopes to be a full-time nerd for as long as the Lord (or pūtea) will allow. Waiora is deeply passionate about te reo Māori, both learning it for herself and sharing it with others. She dreams of a bilingual Aotearoa one day and is actively playing her part to make that a reality. She’s a Daughter, Sister, Aunty, Niece, Cousin, and friend. Waiora says “All you really need to know about me might be summed up in knowing that I’m an Enneagram eight with Tūhoe whakapapa.”

Karutahi

Karutahi Bell

Kura Reo Tutor

(Ngāti Maniapoto)

Karutahi is a proud father of three boys and a baby girl, sharing his life with his Northern Irish wife, Judith. A very grounded personality, Karutahi has spent the majority of his career working with his hands as a carpenter and mechanical engineer. Eventually, his ‘chippy’ background and his heart for people merged within his role at the charity Emerge Aotearoa, where he led the tenancy programme in the upper North Island supporting families and individuals into warm and financially sustainable accommodation. His emergence as a te reo Māori teacher has developed from his own journey of reclaiming te reo and mātauranga Māori. Paired with his faith, Karutahi is deeply committed to sharing the beauty and depth of Te Ao Māori with people from all walks of life.
Piripi

Piripi Baker

Kura Reo Tutor

(Te Whakatōhea)

Piripi is an experienced programme developer, writer, public speaker, and educator. He’s been involved with Te Wānanga Ihorangi since 2019 and is a special part of the team. Most recently he was working for the Parenting Place, as the national manager for Building Awesome Whānau (a parenting programme that supports Māori communities). He has completed qualifications in both te reo Māori and theology, receiving his Bachelor of Theology from Laidlaw College and Te Tohu Paetahi Diploma from the University of Waikato. Piripi is a passionate advocate for Māori theology and has just begun postgraduate studies at the University of Otago this year.

Te Poari

Te Waka McLeod

Te Waka McLeod

Chairperson

(Ngāti Mutunga, Te Atiawa, Te Ātihaunui a Papārangi)

Te Waka is most at home when she’s with her whānau and engaging with people around the motu to activate transformation in iwi spaces and champion kaupapa Māori. She has spent her life being called into leadership contexts to faithfully accomplish the work which has included roles at Parenting Place, The New Zealand Leaders Trust, Link NZ and Sport Taranaki.

In recent years she has held the role of CEO for Te Wānanga Ihorangi before being called home to Waitara in Taranaki to advocate for her people. She is the current Kai Arataki with Ka Uruora, an Iwi-led organisation that provides a pathway to housing and financial independence for whānau Māori.

She is the Director of Puna Hau Ltd and since 2022 has been a member of the New Plymouth District Council as the inaugural Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori, Māori ward councillor.

Neihana

Rev’d Neihana Reihana

Trustee

(Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui)

After completing his Bachelor of Business Degree at AUT, Neihana went on to finish a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching and spent the next five years teaching te reo Māori and business studies. He then served as the Academic Director at the InZone Academic Foundation, supporting 72 Māori and Pasifika students as they lived within a kāinga (hostel) environment in central Auckland. He spends most of his time now working through his Ph.D. in Māori theology through the University of Otago. Married to Elena, and father to Whakaaria and Mākoha, he is often travelling back home to support te reo regeneration hui at his marae, Mangakāretu.
Ash

Ashley Pīhema

Trustee

(Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Kai Tahu and Ngāti Pākeha)

Entrepreneur, business owner, and educationist, Ashley is on maternity leave from her role as the Head of Faculty for Te Whare Huia, Māori Studies at Diocesan School for Girls. Spearheading the integration of Māori values, knowledge, and language into all spheres of the school; her unique set of skills and experience has made her a highly valuable asset to any educational context throughout Aotearoa. As the Cluster Leader for Ako Panuku, she also took on a leadership role supporting all te reo Māori teachers within the greater central Auckland area. An active member within a variety of community settings, she continues to serve in Karuwhā Trust.
Greg-Fleming

Greg Fleming

Trustee

Greg has a longstanding resume as an innovative social entrepreneur. Greg co-founded and was CEO of the Maxim Institute for 12 years, a public policy think tank that has researched a range of issues including taxation, education, justice, and welfare. From there he became the CEO of the Venn Foundation which he co-founded to provide unique educational opportunities for young adults keen to be involved in social innovation. He is also the founding Chair of Te Whakaora Tangata, an organisation restoring hundreds of families in poverty through relationship mentoring and practical support. More recently, he was CEO of Parenting Place for five years before he transitioned into an independent contractor.

Alistair

Dr. Alistair Reese

Trustee

Alistair is an adjunct Fellow at the University of Otago and his research and speaking interests include postcolonialism, reconciliation, and prohetism. He has postgraduate degrees in Theology, History, and Tikanga Māori. His Ph.D. in theology from the University of Auckland focused on reconciliation and Pākehā identity. Alistair is involved in local and national efforts to promote reconciliation between Māori and Pākehā and exploring understandings of what an indigenous form of Christianity might look like.