Whirikoka Campus
Gisborne
Campus
630 Childers Road, Elgin, Gisborne 4010
Whirikoka
Te Tairāwhiti connection
Our campus carries the name Whirikoka, gifted by Reverend Eru Smith to honour the tīpuna Whirikoka. His story, symbolised by a loyal kekeno (seal), speaks of resilience, connection, and kaitiakitanga – values that continue to guide us today.
This whenua also holds the story of the Horouta waka. In 1350, captain Pāoa sought sacred tōtara at Maungahaumi, carried with the help of the Patu Paiarehe from Mangatū, linking this land forever with Horouta.
Whirikoka Campus continues these legacies. We are a place of knowledge, strength, and whānau transformation, where education empowers tauira and ensures the vision of our tūpuna lives on.
Ngā whare me ngā ratonga
Facilities and support services
Our campus offers comfortable and accessible spaces designed to support your learning.
Our reception is open from 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
We offer:
Student support services, including academic help and wellbeing support (by appointment)
Learning spaces that support your studies
Computer lab
Kitchenette for tauira use
Convenient parking with mobility access
Free Wi-Fi
An onsite early learning centre Whare Āmai for tamariki (separate enrolment required)
A vibrant toi collection showcasing the creativity of our tauira, kaimahi, and community
Please note: We are closed on statutory holidays and weekends.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
630 Childers Road, Elgin, Gisborne 4010
Ngā hōtaka i konei
Programmes here
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Papa Reo
Online e-Learning
Open for applicationsReady to learn te reo Māori - the Māori language? Start here with the basics of Māori language and practices.
- Level 1
- Online
- No fees
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He Papa Tikanga
Home-based learning
Open for applicationsGet insight into a Māori worldview. Learn about Māori traditions, values and protocols from the comfort of your own home.
- Level 3
- Home-based learning
- No fees
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He Tikanga Whakaaro
Home-based learning
Open for applicationsDive deeper into a broad range of Māori knowledge, beliefs and values, and learn about tikanga practices from the comfort of your own home.
- Level 4
- Home-based learning
- No fees
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Papa Whairawa
NZ Certificate in Personal Financial Capability
Open for applicationsLearn how to manage your money, set goals, and make confident financial decisions for your future.
- Level 2
- Home-based learning
- No fees
-
Mana Ora
Māori Business and Management
Open for applicationsMana Ora connects tikanga, te reo Māori, and Māori leadership principles with practical business knowledge.
- Level 3
- Home-based learning
- No fees
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.
