Throughout July and August 2011, two of the first Kāpuia hosted events were held in Porirua and Palmerston North. Graduates from the Social Services and Mātauranga Māori programmes were invited, and we were delighted to have our very own graduates as guest speakers for the evening. The overall aims of these events were to:

• Engage with our own graduates highlighting opportunities within a variety of industries
• Mentor and inspire from our own with our own
• Allow graduates to stay connected with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
• Promote the Aotearoa Scholarship Trust
• Network amongst like-minded people and their local communities
• Find out what our graduates have been doing since leaving Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
• Promote Kāpuia

In Porirua, Bachelor of Social Work graduates Fa'amatuainu Wayne Poutoa and local elder Kahu Watene spoke highly of their studying experiences with Te Wānanga o Aoteroa. They both shared inspirational kōrero about their varying journeys and their continual involvement with Community initiatives. Wayne is the founder of Streets Ahead 237, an organisation that works directly with youth within the Porirua district and Kahu is a well known kuia who has worked with community initiatives for most of her life.

In Palmerston North, te reo Māori Consultant and Kaiako Hinurewa Poutu provided motivational kōrero about how completing Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Māori programme with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has impacted her journey with te reo and her passion to continue to promote it. Hinurewa is currently studying towards her doctorate and also teaches part-time at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Mana Tamariki.

 With a sit-down meal and loads of thought provoking kōrero, both evening’s ended nicely with world-class entertainment from Adeaze.