Ōhope couple striving for whānau success through continued education
Kylie Holmes and her partner, Harlem Ferrall, had never heard of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa until 2022 when they attended a mau rākau event at the Tauranga campus.
The couple, who are based in Ōhope, quickly discovered the wide range of study opportunities and soon after enrolled in Kāwai Raupapa Level 4.
Harlem chose mau rākau in Tauranga, while Kylie enrolled in raranga in Whakatāne. She’d realised her love for the artform after she weaved a wahakura earlier that year just before having their first pēpē.
“When I found out there was a raranga programme in Whakatāne, that really caught my attention. It seemed like such a great opportunity. I knew that it would be silly to pass it by. I thought it would be the perfect time for me to study while my baby was still young”.
Kylie went back to mahi halfway through 2023, and she admits that juggling life with a baby, while working and studying was a challenge.
With the support of her kaiako and fellow tauira, and with her partner also juggling the same commitments, she was able to complete the programme and proudly showcase her mahi at their end of year toi exhibition.
“At times I was really challenged, but I have a good partner and he’s very supportive. Classes were a bit of me time. I got to socialise, I got to be myself without my child, it was a good balance.”
This year both Kylie and Harlem will continue their study journey with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, working towards Toi Paematua Level 5 in raranga and mau rākau respectively.
The couple are confident that through furthering their education they will be able to make a positive impact within their young whānau and live out the vision of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, whānau transformation through education.
“Both of us really enjoyed our programmes because they made us feel closer to our culture, our tūpuna, and feel more connected within ourselves. Becoming parents in 2022 made us realise how much strengthening our pillars will make a difference for our offspring.”
Pūrongo whakahirahira
Featured stories
Turning point inspires commitment to change, community, and career
In 2024, Bryce Marsh faced a major turning point in life that led to him studying Manaaki Tangata at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, setting him on a path of healing, self-discovery and a desire to give back to his community.
A whānau journey of learning at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
Studying at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa wasn’t just a personal journey for Tania Dargaville (Te Rarawa). It became a whānau journey, shared alongside her sister and son, learning, growing and now graduating together.
Creating second chances for rangatahi
Kaimahi working in Youth Engagement Services at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa play a vital role in empowering rangatahi to discover who they are, build practical skills, and shape futures that feel right for them.
Wānanga study supports career shift into social services
When COVID-19 hit, it changed the direction of Dee Clark’s life. At the time, she was working in airport security as a behavior analyst, but the impacts of COVID-19 caused her role to change and so did her sense of purpose.
Strengthening Indigenous‑led global partnerships
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust to host delegation from Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford Delegation and formalise Māori Curatorial Partnership
Upholding reo Māori beyond kura kaupapa
At 18 years old, Te Tatau Strother walked into his first Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi class at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa feeling like the youngest voice in a room full of experienced reo Māori speakers.
Weaving a shared journey of growth
What began as an opportunity to learn something new for Riri (Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngā Rauru Kītahi, Pākehā) and Rich Rio (Kuki Airani, Ngāti Maniapoto) grew into a journey of confidence, deeper connection to te ao Māori, and a shared sense of purpose as husband and wife.
Cambridge Museum project guided by wānanga tikanga studies
Cambridge Museum manager, Elizabeth Harvey, is combining her tikanga studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa with her passion for local history, to support the museum’s Voices of Cambridge project.
Wānanga launches first of their kind mātauranga Māori certificates, marking a new era for Indigenous knowledge education
Responding to the growing needs and aspirations of tauira, iwi and communities, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is breaking new ground with the launch of 2 new Level 4 certificates that will be the first standalone programmes of their kind in Aotearoa.
Learning tikanga to strengthen community work
After making the move to Aotearoa in 2014 from Germany, Almaz Bergz set out to gain a better understanding of the people, whenua, and culture that shape life here.
Thriving as a kaiako after He Korowai Ākonga
When Marlena Martin began her studies in He Korowai Ākonga – Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) in 2023, she never imagined where it would take her and how much she would grow as an individual.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa launches new international reo Māori learning
iReo is a flexible, self-directed, online short course made up of 5 standalone modules, each running over 6 weeks. Learners can study at their own pace, weaving te reo Māori into everyday life alongside work, whānau, and other commitments.