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.

The New Zealand Certificate in Taonga Puoro and Te Tohu Tātai Whetū New Zealand Certificate in Māori Astronomy, will be available as pilot programmes in Semester B 2026, strengthening access to mātauranga Māori and providing clear study pathways for tauira and practitioners.

“Through consultation with stakeholders, iwi and our communities, we heard a strong call for learning opportunities that uphold and advance mātauranga Māori. In particular, there was a clear desire for deeper understanding of star knowledge, especially around Matariki and Puanga, and taonga puoro. We have listened to those calls and now we are excited to announce these pilot programmes,” says Evie O’Brien, Te Kura Toroa – Chief Executive of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

“Both certificates have been designed with the support and input of renowned industry experts. Te Tohu Tātai Whetū was developed with input from leaders in Māori astronomy, and Te Tohu Taonga Puoro has been supported by expert practitioners across Aotearoa. They are practical, grounded in te ao Māori, and future focused.”

Te Tohu Taonga Puoro

In recent years, Aotearoa has embraced holistic approaches to health and wellbeing, creating growing demand for practices such as taonga puoro, the traditional instruments of Māori culture, to support rehabilitation and hauora. Despite this interest, taonga puoro has previously existed only as a small component in Indigenous studies or music theory. By offering this 20-week programme, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is filling the gap and ensuring that taonga puoro is taught, practiced, and preserved in a way that serves Māori and our wider communities.

Through hands-on experience in playing and constructing taonga puoro, tauira will discover how sound supports balance and healing, while also learning the tikanga and appropriate uses for each instrument. This programme will deepen their understanding of how taonga puoro connect us to te taiao, strengthen hauora, and carry ancestral stories.

Te Tohu Tātai Whetū

The celebration of Matariki and Puanga has grown significantly among iwi Māori and communities throughout Aotearoa over the past few years, alongside a rising interest in Maramataka, the traditional Māori lunar calendar. This resurgence reflects a collective desire to reconnect with traditional Māori knowledge systems and to integrate these in everyday life.

Tātai Whetū, translating to ‘starry patterns’ or ‘constellations’, is a thoughtfully designed programme that will introduce tauira to Māori astronomy, and how the sun, moon, and stars have guided the lives of our tūpuna for generations. The programme has been designed to reflect the diverse and specialised mātauranga held across different rohe, marae, hapū, and iwi, recognising regional differences and the aspirations of tauira from across Aotearoa.

Registering interest

Applications for Te Tohu Taonga Puoro and Te Tohu Tātai Whetū will be open soon.

Those interested in these programmes are encouraged to visit the programme pages and join the wait list today. For Taonga Puoru visit Te Tohu Taonga Puoro | Traditional Māori Instruments and for Tātai Whetū visit Te Tohu Tātai Whetū | Certificate in Māori Astronomy.

Join Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in supporting the revitalisation and protection of mātauranga Māori.