Raranga weaves culture and people together
If you look closely at Yumi’s muka kākahu, you’ll spot her family crest (kamon) – a beautiful expression of how she’s woven together te ao Māori and her own Japanese culture.
Originally from Tokyo, the Maunga Kura Toi tauira sees many similarities between Māori and Japanese values.
“The main thing we have in common is how we value human relationships. Although I am a foreigner here in New Zealand, I have a raranga whānau. Raranga is not just about weaving, it connects you to culture and people.”
Yumi’s toi journey began several years ago, studying Kāwai Raupapa and then Toi Paematua at our Palmerston North and Whanganui campuses. She remembers feeling apprehensive about attending noho, but challenged herself to overcome her fears.
In 2024, Yumi enrolled in Maunga Kura Toi in Rotorua to deepen her skills and continue working with muka, travelling from Taranaki to attend noho every 2 months.
Her stunning mahi toi is on display at Rotorua Library until 6 November.
Yumi is deeply grateful to her kaiako for their guidance, warmth, and kindness, and for the inclusive whānau she’s found at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
“I want to really acknowledge the wānanga as they have made everything possible.”
Coming from a different culture, Yumi is mindful of Māori tikanga, ensuring she approaches each new experience with respect. Alongside raranga, she has learned about te ao Māori, the atua and completed a rongoā programme. Her next step is to enrol in te reo Māori where she can explore her passion for waiata.
Ngā Pou o te Whare Pora Hei Whakanui i a Mākereti Papakura is at Rotorua Library from 20 October to 7 November and features toi mahi from tauira at level 4 through to level 7. The exhibition is dedicated to Mākereti Papakura, the first Indigenous woman to study at Oxford University and who was recently awarded a posthumous masters degree for her work exploring the customs and practices of Te Arawa from a female perspective.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has mahi toi exhibitions around the motu this October and November. Find one near you.
Pūrongo whakahirahira
Featured stories
Finding a deeper sense of self through te ao Māori
Moving to Aotearoa from rural Australia as a teenager, Lily Warring found herself wanting to learn more about the culture and language of the place she now called home.
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.
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.
Creating the spark for business success
With plenty of experience as an electrician, Josh Verstraten was ready to branch out from employee to business owner, but he knew running a successful business would require a new set of skills.
From financial stress to financial freedom for Auckland whānau
For Augustine Kopa, studying the Certificate in Money Management at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa was about creating a better future for her whānau.
Two generations, one reo Māori journey
When Melody Francis (Ngāti Kahungunu) saw the positive impact that studying te reo Māori had on her mum, she decided to jump on the waka and begin the journey alongside her.
Tikanga study boosts whānau presence on marae
Patrick and Donna Tobin (Ngāti Kahu) are a brother-and-sister duo studying tikanga alongside their wider whānau at Te Paatu Marae in Kaitaia, all working towards the betterment of their whānau, iwi, and marae.
A teacher’s path to understanding tikanga
Originally from South Africa, Franda Zondagh has called Aotearoa home since 2003, but it was through studying He Papa Tikanga with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that she began to feel a deeper connection to the place she lives and people she serves in her mahi.
Leading by example and learning te reo Māori
Liisa Wharepapa’s (Te Whānau ā Apanui) journey with te reo Māori wasn’t something that happened overnight, it was a goal waiting to be pursued until the moment she felt ready to take that step.
Returning home and reclaiming te reo Māori
After many years away building his professional career, Logan Bertram (Whakatōhea), returned home to Ōpōtiki with a clear goal of reconnecting with his whakapapa and creating a better future for his young whānau.
