Our Programmes - Te Wānanga Ihorangi

Our Programmes

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Te Wānanga Ihorangi offers a range of accredited and non-accredited programmes that will get you expressing yourself in te reo Māori with confidence and courage. Our programmes are based around small student cohorts who want to attain a high level of language excellence.

Welcome to your new future.

Our programmes are underpinned by Mātauranga Māori and weave together Māori values, traditions, histories, arts and philosophies. The wisdom of our ancestors is an irreplaceable taonga, and an ever-relevant guide for us today. Te reo Māori is a doorway that allows us to access, preserve, and maintain our customs and beliefs. Alongside this, we are also inspired by and committed to the story of Te Rongopai here in Aotearoa. We are compelled to see how these different bodies of knowledge intersect, complement, and sometimes challenge one another.

Delivering Diplomas in Partnership with Te Wānanga Amorangi Laidlaw College

Te Wānanga Ihorangi is working in partnership with Te Wānanga Amorangi (Laidlaw College) to deliver these programmes. Both Diplomas in Te Reo Māori are held and administered through Te Wānanga Amorangi, and our students will be formally enrolled at both institutions.

Students will experience a distinctive Māori-led kaupapa in Te Wānanga Ihorangi’s immersive learning community and campus. However, one of the great benefits of the partnership is that our students will also have access to the support and systems of Te Wānanga Amorangi as well. Te Wānanga Amorangi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest Christian tertiary college, it is a Category 1 Private Training Establishment, and teaches programmes from Certificate to Doctoral level.

More information can be found on them here, and more details about our partnership can be read in our faqs here.

Te Reo Ihirangi

L5 Diploma

Te Reo Maruata

L6 Diploma

Kura Reo

Non-accredited 4-day Language Schools

Te Reo Ihirangi

Level 5 Diploma

Ready to take a leap of faith? This programme is a one-year full-time intensive that will get you conversationally fluent by the time you graduate. Move from a beginner to an intermediate-level speaker through this accelerated learning experience.

The Te Reo Ihirangi programme leads to the Te Pōkairua Reo (Rumaki) (Te Kaupae 5) / New Zealand Diploma in Te Reo (Rumaki) (Level 5).

Te Reo Ihirangi is a 120-credit one-year full-time programme. Students who successfully complete Te Reo Ihirangi may staircase into Te Reo Maruata, our DipTRMāori L6 programme.

Te Reo Ihirangi is aimed at students who want to take their te reo Māori journey to the next level. Classes are based onsite at our Henderson campus, within a full immersion environment. Every week will be packed with a variety of classes, individual and group work, kapa haka, karakia, guest speakers, and the occasional off-campus haerenga.

On completion of this programme, graduates will be able to:

Fully participate within contexts using only te reo Māori;
Express their ideas and theories within a wide variety of situations with fluency and confidence;
Recall and integrate a wide range of language devices into their everyday speech;
Articulate and demonstrate sound technical knowledge in te reo Māori;
Contribute to language revitalisation efforts within their own whānau, hapū, iwi, and hāhi.

Register here

Programme Summary

LEVEL	5, 120 credits
DURATION	One year full-time (there is only one intake per year in Feb)
TIMETABLE	10 Feb – 14 Nov 2025 There are also two compulsory noho-marae for this programme (dates TBC)
HOLIDAYS	Our study breaks follow the school holidays
PLACES	Expressions of Interest open
LOCATION	Henderson Campus
CLASS TIMES	Monday to Thursday, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm Friday – No classes (although one-on-one tutorials are available with your kaiako)

Te Reo Ihirangi Courses (120 credits total)

Topic 1: Hokinga Mahara (Strengthening Foundations)	10 Credits
Topic 2: Ngā Āhutanga o Te Reo – Taumata 5 (Linguistic Elements)	25 Credits
Topic 3: Kōrero Nehe (Oral Traditions)	10 Credits
Topic 4: He Reo Ora (History of Te Reo)	15 Credits
Topic 5: Ngā Kōrero ā-iwi (Tribal Narratives)	10 Credits
Topic 6: He Pūrongorongo (Current Affairs)	20 Credits
Topic 7: Ngā Kōrero Whakarākei (Linguistic Embellishments)	10 Credits
Topic 8: He Hui Marae (Marae Gatherings)	20 Credits

Entry criteria

To enrol in this programme, a potential student must:

be at least 16 years of age
be a New Zealand citizen (or citizen of Australia, Tokelau, Niue, Cook Islands) or permanent resident
reside in New Zealand
have successfully completed a te reo Māori qualification at Level 4
meet with a kaiako to discuss course workload and commitment

Or

successfully complete the pre-entry assessment
meet with a kaiako to discuss course workload and commitment

Register here

Te Reo Maruata

Level 6 Diploma

Do you dream of becoming a language champion? This one-year full-time programme can take your reo to an advanced level. Reach new heights as you expand your mastery of formal and informal language, and deepen your knowledge of whakapapa and whakapono through personalised research projects.

The Te Reo Maruata programme leads to the Te Pōkairua Reo (Rumaki) (Te Kaupae 6) / New Zealand Diploma in Te Reo (Rumaki) (Level 6).

Te Reo Maruata is a 120-credit one-year full-time programme.

Te Reo Maruata is aimed at students who want to think, write and speak in te reo with ease and eloquence. Classes are based onsite at our Henderson campus, within a full immersion environment. Every week will be packed with a variety of classes, individual and group work, kapa haka, karakia, guest speakers and the occasional off-campus haerenga. By joining this programme, you will become a tuakana of Te Wānanga Ihorangi and will be expected to act as a mentor and role model to other students.

On completion of this programme, graduates will be able to:

Think and speak in te reo with clarity and certainty;
Develop real-world Māori/English and English/Māori translation skills;
Demonstrate a sound understanding of advanced grammar;
Share their own unique and personalised research;
Lead karakia, karanga and whaikōrero;
Advance language revitalisation efforts within their own whānau, hapū, iwi, and hāhi.

Register here

Programme Summary

LEVEL	6, 120 credits
DURATION	One year full-time (there is only one intake per year in Feb)
TIMETABLE	10 Feb – 14 Nov, 2025 There are also two compulsory noho-marae for this programme (dates TBC)
HOLIDAYS	Our study breaks follow the school holidays
PLACES	Expressions of Interest open
LOCATION	Henderson Campus
CLASS TIMES	Monday to Thursday, 9:00am – 3:30pm Friday – No classes (although one-on-one tutorials are available with your kaiako)

Te Reo Maruata Courses (120 credits total)

Topic 1: Ngā Āhuatanga o Te Reo – Taumata 6 (Linguistic Elements)	25 Credits
Topic 2: Whakataukī/Whakatauākī (Proverbial Sayings)	15 Credits
Topic 3: Ngā Poropiti Māori (Māori Prophets)	15 Credits
Topic 4: Te Paipera ki Aotearoa (The Bible in Aotearoa)	10 Credits
Topic 5: Whakamāori/Whakapākehā (Translations)	15 Credits
Topic 6: Ngā Kōrero Whakarākei (Linguistic Embellishments)	15 Credits
Topic 7: Rautaki Reo (Revitalisation strategies)	15 Credits
Topic 8: Waiata/Haka (Māori Performing Arts)	10 Credits

Entry criteria

To enrol in this programme, a potential student must:

be at least 16 years of age
be a New Zealand citizen (or citizen of Australia, Tokelau, Niue, Cook Islands) or permanent resident
reside in New Zealand
have successfully completed a te reo Māori qualification at Level 4
meet with a kaiako to discuss course workload and commitment

Or

successfully complete the pre-entry assessment
meet with a kaiako to discuss course workload and commitment

Register here

“My mum was the first ancestor since Hawaiki who wasn’t able to speak Māori on her side. That weighs on me yeah but I’m committed to keep going and to make sure that isn’t my story. Nah, for sure that is definitely not going to be my story.”

Christian Gallen (Ngāti Kahungunu),
Te Wānanga Ihorangi graduate

“I needed the push to go further from our kaiako. They were gentle but firm, and met me where I was at. All of a sudden I was doing a karanga, and calling out from a deep place. Reclamation of identity and culture can be tough, but the amazing way the kaiako walked alongside us made a big difference.”

Irene Farnham (Ngāti Awa, Tūhoe),
Te Wānanga Ihorangi graduate

“As a Samoan woman helping to raise a Māori son, these wānanga have been awesome. I walk away from class every time more determined to make our house a place where te reo lives and breathes.”

Niā Tomo (Ngāti Hāmoa, Pākehā),
Kura Reo student

“I loved my time there. The kaiako were incredibly skilled, and really kind and encouraging of all students, no matter what skill level. It was also great to be able to study in a space where our whakapono was not only accepted but encouraged, and a central part of expressing our Māoritanga.”

REV’D Hamish Dobbie (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine),
Te Wānanga Ihorangi graduate

“He huia kaimanawa te kura nei a Te Wānanga Ihorangi. He kura hirahira mō ngā tāngata katoa, Māori mai, tauiwi mai, arā, te iwi whakapono. Nau mai whakatau mai ki tēnei hapori, ki tēnei kura.”

Charles Williams (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Whakatōhea, Ngāpuhi), Kura Reo student

“Learning te reo Māori was beyond transformational for me. It was like being given a new set of eyes that allowed me to see the world in a completely different way. I felt closer to my tūpuna, to my kids, to the natural world around me. I should have done it earlier, but no regrets now … I’m just enjoying the ride.”

REV’D Te Karere Scarborough (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hauā),
Te Wānanga Ihorangi graduate and Tumuaki | Co-Principal

“Sometimes I look back and can’t believe how far I’ve come. I’m not the guy who will automatically jump up to the front or anything but if we are in a pinch then I will stand and speak. That makes me feel so proud.”

Scott Parekowhai (Te Aitanga a Mahaki),
Te Wānanga Ihorangi graduate

Kura Reo

Non-accredited 4-day language schools

Te Wānanga Ihorangi runs a range of full immersion language schools each year. Each kura reo has its own flavour as we travel throughout the country, staying with different marae, hapū, and iwi. All levels of language competence are welcome to attend, so come along and fill up your kete with new skills, experiences, and confidence.

2024 Dates

Kura Reo – Hoani Waititi Marae, Tāmaki Makaurau, 7-10 July. Registrations open in early June. POSTPONED
Hui Taumata (Symposium) – Te Wānanga Ihorangi campus, Tāmaki Makaurau, 25-27 September. Full Immersion Te Reo Māori event. Registrations open in early July.

Te Rongopai

Come and learn about the story of Te Rongopai through the perspective of each place we visit.

Nau Mai Rā

Each attendee is grouped with similarly capable speakers of te reo Māori. All classes will be targeted to meet you where you are at.

Noho-marae

These language schools include overnight stays. The idea is that we live and breathe te reo Māori throughout our time together.

Email to Register

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