Te Kunenga o te Ao Tikanga

Develop your understanding of tikanga protocols and cultural practices.

Traditional knowledge can help us navigate our forever changing world, and tikanga Māori -Māori customs and practices- will provide a solid basis to start learning the legacy of our ancestors.

You’ll begin by reflecting on and evaluating your own practices of tikanga to help you identify your strengths, and how tikanga helps form relationships between others and the world around you.

As well as learning basic te reo Māori structures and how they merge with tikanga practices, you’ll be able to apply what you learn into your everyday life to give you the confidence to contribute within your whānau, hapū and iwi, and the communities you live in.

When you pass this programme, you'll get this qualification:

• Te Pōkaitahi Tikanga (Mātauranga Māori) – New Zealand Certificate in Tikanga (Mātauranga Māori) Level 4

• deeper insights into the thinking behind tikanga
• a more technical ability to apply tikanga
• a developing knowledge of tikanga protocols and cultural practices.

This is a full-time programme that consists of 120 credits delivered over 40 weeks. Throughout the programme you will be required to attend:

• 8 x noho marae (25 hours per noho)
• tutorials, 1-day wānanga, Zoom hui or field trips (an average of 2 hours per week)

You'll also need to complete learning activities designed to enhance your learning for approximately:

• 25.6 hours per week

Dates of your noho marae, tutorials, 1-day wānanga, Zoom hui or field trips will be confirmed by your kaiako (tutor).

Some of the learning activities will need to be completed online. You'll need to have access to an internet-connected device for this programme.  

To enrol in this programme, a potential student must:

• be at least 16 years of age
• be a New Zealand citizen (or citizen of Australia, Tokelau, Niue, Cook Islands) or permanent resident
• reside in New Zealand
• must attend an interview with a kaiako.

Download factsheet

I want to keep studying

Advance to our Level 5 programme, Te Hapūtanga o te Ao Tikanga.

I want to use my qualification

You'll be able to begin specialising in tikanga specific to your area of interest.