Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi
Level 7 | Full immersion noho
Ko te reo kia māori
Let your reo thrive
Te reo Māori is more than words, it carries our identity, history, and wairua. This advanced immersion programme refines your fluency and brings you to the level of sophistication and eloquence found in karanga and whaikōrero.
Through total immersion and cultural practice, you’ll develop mastery of both formal and informal reo Māori, deepening your understanding of tikanga and the art of communication. You’ll also build the confidence to become a bearer of cultural knowledge for your whānau, hapū, and iwi.
You’ll learn through wānanga, kōrero, translation, and interpretation practice, all grounded in authentic Māori contexts. This programme focuses on excellence and guardianship, supporting you to use te reo Māori with precision, depth, and mana in every setting.
He aha tāu ka whiwhi?
Skills you'll leave with
Completing this programme means you’ll be able to:
Apply advanced te reo Māori grammar and linguistic structures with confidence
Use formal and informal reo Māori with accuracy and cultural understanding
Demonstrate proficiency in karanga, whaikōrero, and related oratory traditions
Translate and interpret between Māori and English with accuracy and context
Uphold tikanga as a leader and language advocate
Mā te mahi ka ako
Learn by doing
You will get to:
Practice speaking te reo Māori with other tauira
Develop your listening skills to support real-world kōrero in te reo Māori
Practice tikanga and cultural concepts in real-world contexts
Connect your personal reo journey to the history of te reo Māori in Aotearoa
Develop tools to work through uncertainty, discomfort, and fear - and support others to do the same
Ngā ara e wātea ana
Where will this take me?
By the end, you'll be able to:
Keep learning:
Progress your studies with one of the following programmes:
Use at work:
This programme may support careers in these industries:
Junior level consultancy on cultural and language expertise across different sectors
Education – in particular
Kōhanga Reo - Kaiako
Primary – Kaiako rumaki syndicate, Kura Kaupapa Māori
Secondary – Junior level kaiako
Tourism and retail – in particular
Forward facing customer service and people engagement
Advisory and junior translation support roles
Health – in particular
Forward facing customer support/service and people engagement
Advisory roles
Cultural support
Junior level informal translation and interpretation support
Social Services
Kaimahi, kaitaunaki
Cultural and language advisors
Broadcasting
Cultural and language advisors
Forward facing people engagement
Junior level sub-titling and translation support
Government and Legal
Māori Land Court advisory support
Te Arawhiti consultancy and advisory support
Iwi and pre & post-settlement sector
Iwi advisor
Cultural liaison, mediator
Education, environment, health, social service liaison and advisory roles across iwi priorities
Tikanga advisor
Community involvement:
Support your community, whānau, hapū, or iwi with:
Whakapapa
Tikanga
Iwi, hapū, marae trustee
Papakāinga/reserves trustees
Kaitiaki taonga
Kaitiaki taiao
Kaikaranga/Kaikōrero
Kaikarakia
He meka
Quick facts
- Level 7 (Advanced)
- 120 Credits
- 40 Weeks
- NZ Diploma in Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi (Kaupae 7)
- NZQA Accredited
- Marae Experience
Paearu 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
Have graduated from Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi Level 6 after 2027 OR
Can demonstrate equivalent Level 6 skills and knowledge in te reo Māori through a pre-entry assessment
Te wā
Time commitment
This programme is:
Full-time
120 credits
40 weeks long (includes holiday breaks)
Noho marae-based learning, with additional workshops and small seminars
There are two different delivery methods for this programme.
The classroom delivery method has 2 regular classes during the week supported by 2 intensive noho and 6 one-day wānanga (intensive workshops).
The noho delivery method has one regular class during the week supported by 8 noho (intensive workshops). These often run over the weekend.
Fees and scholarships
The 2027 fees for this programme will be determined in late September 2026.
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
Pitopito kōrero o te wā
Latest news
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.
