About Us - Te Wānanga Ihorangi

About Us

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 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.’

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.

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.

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.

Waiora Te Moni

Kaiako – Te Reo Ihirangi

(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 has recently left studying theology at St John’s Theological College to teach at Te Wānanga Ihorangi. Holding a Bachelor of Communication Studies from AUT, she has also formally studied te reo Māori at the University of Waikato and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Waiora is ordained under Te Pīhopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau and serves at Te Ana Tapu | Tātai Hono in Auckland City.

Piripi Baker

Kaiako/Kairangahau

(Te Whakatōhea)

Piripi is an experienced youth worker, programme developer, writer, public speaker, and educator. 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.

Leah Te Kahu

Te Kaiwhakahaere o Te Hāpai Ō | Operations Lead

(Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi te Rangi)

With a rare blend of operational, pastoral and strategic strengths, Leah has a background in Māori development and cultural consultancy work. Before stepping in as the Operational Lead of Te Hāpai Ō (operations/student support/pastoral oversight), she’d worked for Rape Prevention Education, Maurea and Auckland Womens Centre. She has a Bachelor of Māori Development from AUT, and has studied te reo Māori through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Wānanga Takiura. Married to Manaakinui, they can both be found leading a range of church and community development initiatives throughout the motu.

Khlani Paenga-Hayward

Kaiāwhina – Te Reo Ihirangi

(Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tuhoe, Ngāpuhi)

Health advocate, kapa haka exponent and te reo Māori teacher, Khlani has recently made the shift from health care back into the classroom. Brought up at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi, after leaving school she became a qualified personal trainer, F45 instructor, and championed hauora initiatives through Te Hononga o Tāmaki me Hoturoa during the lockdown period. A member of the nationally renowned group Ngā Tumanako, and national Touch Rugby representative, Khlani is committed to building healthy communities that are centered around hauora.

Ritāne Wallace

Kaiako – Te Reo Maruata

(Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Hekeawai, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Kahungunu)

Ritāne is an academic and cultural consultant who has spent the last decade researching and teaching across a wide range of community contexts. Most recently he worked as the Pane o Te Tari Reo Maaori at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton, overseeing te reo Māori programmes there. Rītane has a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Master of Arts from the University of Waikato, where he specialised in Māori and Pacific development. Rītane is an avid advocate for the role good research can play in supporting the aspirations of Māori communities, and while employed as a Researcher at Te Waha a Tuara, he supported Ngaati Apakura in reconciling with the Crown. Rītane and his wife Tequila have twin boys, Kingston and Journey, and a younger son, Tohu. They all fellowship at Te Rautini in Hamilton.

Tuiti Savage

Kaiāwhina – Te Hāpai Ō

(Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga)

Brought up in Northland, Tuiti came to Tāmaki Makaurau for University and has made a kāinga rua here with us. Whilst completing his Bachelor of Arts at The University of Auckland, he worked as a Resident Assistant for Eden Christian Hostel. He’s studied te reo Māori through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Wānanga Takiura, and can be found leading student tutorials or running the reception desk here at work. Tuiti has strong artistic inclinations, and his flair for the creative is a welcome addition to the team.

Emma Beckett

Kaiāwhina – Te Hāpai Ō

(Pākehā)

Emma is a trained teacher, having completed her Bachelor of Arts through The University of Auckland, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Māori Medium) through Te Wānanga o Raukawa, and a Diploma in Language Fluency through Te Wānanga Takiura. Before coming to Te Wānanga Ihorangi, she was a relief teacher here in Tāmaki Makaurau. She’s also held positions at Brain Play teaching robotics and coding, Scripture Union supporting leadership development programmes, and successfully completed an internship through Venn. Emma leads our kura reo programmes and community events, alongside her student support and general administration role within Te Hāpai Ō.

Te Poari

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.

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.

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

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.

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.