Wānanga scholarship supports tauira in completing Master of Architecture thesis
The 2023 Dr. Buck Nin Memorial Scholarship recipient for Māori contemporary art was 23-year-old Antonia van Sitter, who put the funds towards completing her Master of Architecture thesis.
Antonia's research, 'Marae Resilience,' focused on the resilience and displacement of marae following the February 2023 floods, using kaupapa Māori and pūrākau as research methods.
"I wanted to engage with marae all over the motu. I had been using my own funds then, so much of the scholarship went towards funding some of those engagements, like travel. I probably couldn't have done some of my research without it."
Antonia completed her Master of Architecture through Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington while also studying reo Māori, He Pī ka Pao Level 1 and 2 at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
She wanted to utilise kaupapa Māori methodology in her research, and therefore she thought it would be best to study the language simultaneously.
By being a tauira of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Antonia was eligible for the scholarship, and to top it off, her research had been heavily influenced by the work of Dr. Buck Nin.
"It was a huge privilege to win the scholarship as I had used quite a bit of Dr. Buck Nin's work as precedent and inspiration for some of my work already. Getting the scholarship was my confirmation to go full throttle into those methods."
Dr. Buck Nin was a well-renowned educator and artist and played a crucial role in helping Te Wānanga o Aotearoa gain tertiary status.
He believed in establishing an institution open to everyone, regardless of their previous academic achievements. His paintings and work can be found in many collections worldwide, and he is considered one of the most important contemporary artists in Aotearoa.
Since completing her thesis in mid-March, Antonia has begun working for a Māori kaupapa firm, GHA Chartered Accountants and Management Consultants, where she finds her work deeply rewarding.
She's also grateful as they allowed her to continue pursuing her reo studies through their in-house weekly courses.
Antonia encourages fellow tauira to make the most of Te Kōpuretanga, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Scholarships, saying, "It doesn't hurt to apply, and the scholarships are there for a reason. It's better to apply than to struggle and possibly fall off track. Sometimes, they can save the day."
Scholarship applications are open for submissions from Monday, 1 April 2024, to Sunday, 30 June 2024. Visit our scholarships page for more information.
Pūrongo whakahirahira
Featured stories
From the classroom to the world stage for toi kaiako
From the classrooms of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to the bright lights of New York City, toi kaiako Shawnee Tekii and Jordyn Daniels (Ngāi Tahu) took their creativity to the world stage earlier this year, showcasing their mahi toi across one of the world's most iconic cities.
From full-time māmā to future social worker
Like many māmā, Nickola Savage (Ngāti Rangitihi) has dedicated much of her time to her whānau, ensuring her 3 tamariki are cared for and supported. But alongside her role as a full-time māmā, Nickola felt ready to do something for herself.
Te Reo Kairangi – kia tika, kia rere, kia Māori, kia ora!
Ehara kē i te mea ko te angitu haeretanga o Te Reo Kairangi e mātāmua ana i ō Leon Blake whakaaro, engari ko ngā hua ka whakahokia e ngā tauira ki ō rātou iwi, ki ō rātou hapori, ki ngā uri whakaheke anō hoki.
Vote at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in the 2026 General Election
Selected Te Wānanga o Aotearoa campuses will be open as voting places during the 2026 General Election, making it easier for tauira, kaimahi, whānau and our wider communities to have their say.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa launches new reo Māori programmes to help te reo thrive for generations to come
For over four decades, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has created pathways for generations of tauira to learn, speak, teach and live te reo Māori. That legacy has supported the return of te reo Māori to everyday life, from whānau learning their first kupu, to tauira carrying reo onto marae, and into workplaces, classrooms and homes.
Turning a passion for rongoā into community healing
Rongoā Māori has always been part of Patricia Tangira-Falwasser's life, but it was her studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that deepened her knowledge and inspired her to start a business that now serves her wider community.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa kaimahi claims gold at Waka Ama World Championship
Ken Henry (Te Whakatōhea, Waikato-Tainui) is a Tauira Support Advisor at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Whakatāne campus who took home gold at the Waka Ama World Championships in Singapore in August.
A passion for taonga Māori takes Chanel to Oxford
What started as a desire to strengthen her reo Māori has taken Chanel Coromandel (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Whanaunga) on an unexpected path, leading to an opportunity to contribute to the care and preservation of taonga Māori at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England.
Reconnecting to te ao Māori through raranga
Haylee Roussel (Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne, Ngāti Maniapoto) was searching for a way to reconnect with te ao Māori when she enrolled in the Certificate in Māori and Indigenous Art, Raranga, at the Waiwhero campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
A journey shaped by whānau and a love of tamariki
Members of Tayla-Marie Takawe’s (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto) whānau were among the first tauira to graduate from the Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
