Darryl Thomson – better known in music circles as DLT – says when he met arts icon and educator Sandy Adsett at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Heretaunga, “he challenged me”.

Hundreds of people gathered to acknowledge the work and career of one of our finest artists on Saturday with the opening of the Toi Koru – Sandy Adsett exhibition at Pātaka Art + Museum in Porirua.

A solo exhibition covering the 50 year career of one of Māoridom’s most important artists launches next weekend in Porirua.

Charlie Wallace has previously had some struggles, including minor brushes with the law, but has turned his life around after completing a forestry course through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Rotorua.

Toni uses kōwhaiwhai as a lens for her tauira (students) to see te ao Māori on the Toi Maruata (the certificate in Māori and Indigenous Art) that she teaches.

Two Waikato-Tainui rangatahi from troubled backgrounds now have military careers firmly in their sights.

After running a successful business with no formal business education behind her, Keita Miru got to a stage where she wanted to upskill herself and fill a few gaps she’d identified in her business plan.

Minoo has just completed the Level 4 Manaaki Tangata Certificate in Bicultural Social Services programme at the Māngere campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and says it has given her a much better understanding of other cultures and people.

Jo Ngaia has learned from some of the best and is now sharing her raranga (weaving) skills on to others.

Ihaia Harris is on the fast-track to learn te reo Māori but says it’s not a race and students should remember to have fun and learn at their own pace.

To prepare for the Police Recruitment process, Alaia enrolled in the NZ Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Police Preparation) course at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Māngere and says it opened his eyes to a new way of learning.

Erin says she always held a longing for Toi-Māori – and a fascination for the art of raranga (weaving) - and the amazing things that could be made from harakeke (flax) and the refined, silky product within it, muka.

Ruta Aloisio knows there are plenty of issues that need dealing with in her Ōtara community and got to the stage where she wanted to do something to help.

Madison, said she wanted to give back to the country that gave her a home “and to keep up with what my kids were learning at school”. She did this by learning te reo Māori.

For Mike, education is about helping people reach their goals in life, which involves building a range of skills and capabilities.

He’s faced more challenges than most people will ever have to but a belief in rongoā Māori means Jordon Wansbrough is living a productive life and helping others lead better and healthier lives.

Tori-Analee, who will graduate with a degree in Rauangi (Māori visual arts) from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa next year, is a self-taught artist. She developed her talent and skill by drawing images she liked in her art books.

For Cathrine Randall, the practice of raranga is a meditative and healing process. These days, the former hairdresser helps tauira learning raranga – the art of Māori weaving - at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Whanganui.

Anevili Kirifi has often found herself in leadership roles at work, so to give herself the qualification she needed to advance, she enrolled in the Introduction to Team Leadership programme.

Gareth Kahui walked through the doors at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa's Ngāmotu (New Plymouth) campus to learn te reo Māori five years ago. And he hasn't left since.

Chris Daymond, a police officer recently completed his Kāwai Raupapa – Whakairo at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Palmerston North. Tauira are guided through practical projects while learning the hands-on processes the art requires from experienced carvers.