Skip Content

Taking a bow on stage at this year’s Tainui Graduation were the first-ever Master of Applied Indigenous Knowledge degree graduates.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and whānau celebrated the historical milestone with heartwarming cheers of support, karanga, waiata and haka for the 23 inaugural alumni of the He Waka Hiringa programme.

Morehu Flutey-Henare was “deeply touched” by the beauty of the ceremony.

“I was totally humbled. It was an honour and a privilege to be acknowledged in such an awe-inspiring way.”

The 62-year-old of Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Mahanga and Ngā Puhi descent is an acknowledged Ngā Tahu weaver and a committee member of Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa (Māori Weavers of New Zealand).

She has been teaching raranga at the wānanga in Ōtautahi for six years.

Research for her 20,000 - word dissertation - Te Kaitaka o Te Rangiamo - focused on the creation and renaissance of kaitaka, the fine flax cloaks of rangatira, made from muka or flax fibre and bordered with tāniko or geometric patterning.

She was inspired by a family portrait taken in the 1850s which featured all members of the whānau wearing the kaitaka cloaks.

Morehu says helping to revive the Ngāi Tahu weaving art form which was lost for several generations is a positive spin-off from her master’s work.

Her expanded Māori worldview has also given her the confidence to push her artistic boundaries and create whāriki patterns on block-like paving stones along with her Master’s degree support person indigenous Māori practitioner Reihana Parata.

The He Whāriki Manaaki art project will feature along the Avon River’s Ōtākaroa
Trailing Christchurch.

The laying of the paving stones to depict a whāriki  is scheduled for September.

Morehu says the programme was “intense and hard work” but well worth every minute.

Master of Applied Indigenous Knowledge co-ordinator Kahu Te Kanawa 
says Morehu travelled the furthest but attended every noho and writing retreats.

She also fought debilitating pain last year in her hand 
to complete her Master’s work and achieve academic success.

There were 2365 Tainui graduates this year.


 Back to news & events

Published On: 24 April 2015

Article By: Alice Te Puni



Other Articles

  • 06 June 2023

    Wānanga Team Leadership programme uplifts Christchurch local

    Christchurch local, Sai Vaega has always aspired to make a positive impact in his community and the well-being of those around him.

  • 23 May 2023

    Dyslexia was no barrier for wānanga student

    Small business owner, Kawhena Rangihaeata Puha, overcame her struggles with dyslexia to complete the Level 4 Certificate in Small Business last year at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

  • 17 May 2023

    Multiple sclerosis diagnosis leads to rongoā Māori studies

    After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 19, Arron Learmond began a journey of learning, researching and experimenting with herbal medicine and rongoā Māori.

  • 16 May 2023

    Representing tāne in the weaving classroom

    Weku Kereopa may have been the only tāne (male) in his raranga (weaving) class but that didn’t deter him from completing the Diploma in Māori and Indigenous Art.