Te Wānanga o Aotearoa_Te Tirohanga Māori

He Papa Tikanga

NZ Certificate in Tikanga (Mātauranga Māori)

No fees
Study at home
Māori worldview
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa_Te Tirohanga Maori_He Papa Tikanga. Group of students walking towards camera.

Tirohanga whānui

An introduction to Māori customs and practices

He Papa Tikanga is a starting point for learning about Māori customs and cultural practices. You’ll explore Māori values, traditions and stories, and see how they are used in everyday life.

The programme covers four main areas:

  • Māori worldview

  • Stories and ways of understanding connections to today’s world

  • Tikanga practices used today

  • The role of tikanga in wider society

He aha tāu ka whiwhi?

What you’ll gain from this programme

Completing this programme means you’ll be able to:

  • Use Māori cultural ideas in real life situations

  • Use some reo Māori (Māori language) in tikanga practices

  • Show understanding of tikanga concepts and how they connect to the land

  • Work with others to carry out tikanga practices

Mā te mahi ka ako

Learn by doing

You will get to:

  • Increase your understanding of tikanga practices

  • Meet with your kaitiaki, who will visit you to assess your progress

  • Use the learning resources to grow your knowledge

Ngā ara e wātea ana

Where will this take me?

By the end, you’ll be able to:

Keep studying:
Move into Level 3 or Level 4 programmes in tikanga Māori, te reo Māori (Māori language), Māori arts, health, governance and more.

At work:
Graduates may work in areas such as tourism, hospitality, retail, media, education, health, and Māori trusts.

Community involvement:
Graduates can take their learning back to whānau, hapū, iwi or community groups to strengthen Māori knowledge and practice.

He meka

Quick facts

  • Level 3 (Introductory)
  • 60 Credits
  • 52 Weeks
  • NZ Certificate in Tikanga (Mātauranga Māori) Level 3
  • No fees
  • NZQA Accredited
  • This programmes is not eligible for a student loan or allowance

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 

Te wā

Time commitment

This programme is: 

  • Part-time 

  • 60 credits 

  • 12 months

  • Home-based - study at home with learning resources sent out to you

Kōnae ako

Learning modules

Our study at home programmes have different start dates in each region, depending on current demand. Programmes fill quickly and your start date might be several months after you complete your enrolment. Once we receive your enrolment, we’ll send you a letter confirming your start date. Please make sure you have provided everything for a complete enrolment.

Ki hea, mō āhea hoki au ako ai?

Where and when can I learn?

Home-based learning

Kaupapa anamata

Upcoming events

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