Te Wānanga o Aotearoa_Toi_Raranga_Kawai Raupapa_2026

Kāwai Raupapa

Ngā Mahi ā te Whare Pora

Weaving

Level 4
No fees
Build connections
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa_Toi Raranga_Kāwai Raupapa

Tirohanga whānui

Learn traditional weaving methods

Be part of the living tradition of Māori weaving. Kāwai Raupapa: Ngā Mahi ā te Whare Pora opens the door to the techniques, stories, and tikanga that shape this art form.

You’ll learn how to prepare and work with natural fibres, discover traditional and contemporary approaches, and create woven taonga that express your creativity, culture, and connection.

He aha tāu ka whiwhi?

Skills you'll leave with

Completing this programme means you’ll be able to:

  • Select and apply creative methods and techniques to create woven works of art

  • Explore and compare different artists’ weaving practices to inspire your own

  • Complete weaving projects based on creative briefs and personal concepts

  • Plan and manage your time and materials to bring projects to life

Mā te mahi ka ako

Learn by doing

You will get to:

  • Explore Māori patterns and designs

  • Build your technical skills in ngā mahi ā te whare pora, including mahi raranga, whatu, tāniko and tukutuku

  • Work with different fibres such as harakeke

  • Plan and complete projects

  • Connect and collaborate with other toi practitioners

  • Research into the history, tikanga and cultural practices to guide your work

Ngā ara e wātea ana

Where will this take me?

On completion, you'll have the skills to:

Keep studying
Progress into Toi Paematua: Diploma of Māori and Indigenous Art (Ngā Mahi ā te Whare Pora) Level 5.

Use at work
Graduates may contribute to community art projects, teach basic weaving workshops, or create woven taonga for cultural, personal, or whānau use.

Community involvement
Support whānau, hapū, or iwi through weaving practices that uphold tikanga and cultural continuity.

He meka

Quick facts

  • Level 4 (Intermediate)
  • 120 Credits
  • 38 Weeks
  • NZ Certificate in Ngā Toi Level 4
  • No fees
  • NZQA Accredited

Paeuru whakauru

Entry criteria

You can enrol if you: 

  • Are 16 years or older 

  • Are a NZ citizen or resident (includes Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau) or Australian citizen/permanent resident 

  • Currently reside in New Zealand 

  • Submit a portfolio (visual evidence of creative practice)

  • Attend an interview and selection process

Te wā

Time commitment

This programme is:  

  • Full-time  

  • 120 credits  

  • 38 weeks long (includes holiday breaks) 

  • Noho-based, tutorials, and workshops

Kōnae ako

Learning modules

Ki hea, mō āhea hoki au ako ai?

Where and when can I learn?

No classes are currently open for application.

Kaupapa anamata

Upcoming events

Hands clasping a korowai cloak together

He Puāwaitanga Whakatāne 2026

Graduation Ceremony, Whakatāne

67 Keepa Road, Coastlands, Whakatāne
Free
Graduating students watch the awards stage

He Puāwaitanga Kawerau 2026

Graduation Ceremony, Kawerau

Rautahi Marae - 117 Onslow Street, Kawerau
Free
Close up of a red and black korowai

He Puāwaitanga Whirikoka 2026

Graduation Ceremony, Gisborne

Gisborne War Memorial Theatre - 159 Bright Street, Gisborne
Free
Close up of someone wearing a korowai

He Puāwaitanga Ōpōtiki 2026

Graduation Ceremony, Ōpōtiki

Ōpōtiki De Luxe Theatre - 127 Church Street, Ōpōtiki
Free
A woman in graduation robes and a man hongi outside the wharenui

He Puāwaitanga Waihōpai 2026

Graduation Ceremony, Invercargill

Southern Institute of Technology - 133 Tay Street, Invercargill 9810
Free

Pitopito kōrero o te wā

Latest news

 Bryce Marsh

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.

Tania Dargaville

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.

Nita Koroheke

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.

Dee Clark

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.

MoU signing ceremony

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 

Te Tatau and Te Ngaru

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.

Rich and Riri Rio

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.

Elizabeth Harvey

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.

Tātai Whetu

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.

Almaz_Bergz

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.

Marlena_Martin

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.

Hands holding a hei tiki pounamu

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.

1 / 12
Share Share
Feedback