Continue your artistic path with whakairo. Explore in more depth the skills, tikanga and practices of carving.
Our diploma-level Whakairo programme focuses on developing carvers who are responsible kaitiaki of their kaupapa toi, who understand how to apply appropriate tikanga and kawa to their practice. You'll learn about the origins, meaning and symbolism of patterns, the technical skills of whakairo, and complete different projects throughout the year.
When you pass this programme, you'll get this qualification:
This qualification is intended for practitioners seeking to broaden operational, technical and theoretical knowledge, consistent with tikanga and reo in Whakairo.
Graduates of this qualification will contribute to New Zealand as self-managing practitioners of Ngā Toi within defined contexts able to complete projects, and assist in the management, leadership, and kaitiakitanga of Ngā Toi.
This is a full-time programme that consists of 120 credits delivered over 38 weeks. Some of our locations offer different delivery modes. These will be confirmed by your local campus and might include:
Option 1 Face to face delivery
You'll also need to complete learning activities designed to enhance your learning for approximately:
Option 2 Noho delivery
You'll also need to complete learning activities designed to enhance your learning for approximately:
As some of the learning activities will need to be completed online, you'll need to have access to an internet-connected device.
To enrol in this programme, a potential student must:
I want to keep studying
You’ll be able to apply to enrol on our whakairo degree programme Maunga Kura Toi - Bachelor of Māori Art (Whakairo).
I want to use my qualification
With skills at this level you can be a practising artist, work in community arts or support whānau, iwi and marae projects.
Completion of Toi Paematua is a pathway into year 2 of Maunga Kura Toi (Whakairo).
The 2023 fees for this diploma are:
Year 1: $1,736 GST inclusive.
First time tertiary students studying fee paying programmes may be able to study fee free in their first year. To find out whether you are eligible visit: feesfree.govt.nz.
Toi Awe - Creative Process | 30 Credits
Apply broad knowledge, practical and conceptual skills in the production of creative work.
Toi Iro - Exploration | 30 Credits
Analyse own and others’ artistic evolution and variation, applying insights to creative work.
Toi Raupapa - Organisation | 30 Credits
Assist in the management, creation and completion of a toi project.
Toi Hanga - Creation | 30 Credits
Create and complete creative work in a chosen Kaupapa Toi.