144 Tasman Road, Ōtaki, New Zealand 5512

Phone 0800 WANANGA

Guiding Principles

Kaupapa and their expression

Kaupapa guide all activity and development at Te Wānanga o Raukawa. Our kaupapa draw on our own understandings from the mātauranga Māori body of knowledge and the teachings of the Wānanga. Read more about our kaupapa.


Te Kawa o Te Ako - our practise as kaitiaki

Out of Whakatupuranga Rua Mano: Generation 2000 came the commitment expressed in the following principle:


The marae is our principal home, maintain and respect


This has many implications for the way in which tangata whenua and manuhiri will act on marae. In tikanga Māori, an accepted practice, procedure or protocol is known as a 'kawa'. Each marae or wähi Māori has its own kawa. The maintenance and adherence to the kawa is important to the tangata whenua of that place. To infringe on the kawa of a particular place demeans the home people. The tangata whenua will take steps to reaffirm their kawa. It may lead to a rebuke of the offending party right there and then, or the reaction may be delayed for maximum effect.


All marae seek to uphold kawa and at Te Wānanga o Raukawa we enforce Te Kawa o te Ako. They are the practices, procedures and protocols which protect and maximise the learning and teaching potential of students and staff of Te Wānanga o Raukawa. In particular, it aims to curb activity reducing the capacity to learn and teach.


One dimension of Te Kawa o te Ako, is that those who feel they cannot abstain from using drugs and alcohol should stay away. Those who disregard Te Kawa o te Ako put themselves and their whānau at risk of being challenged by those who feel the need to uphold Te Kawa o te Ako. The timing of the challenge may be selected to achieve maximum impact on the person who has 'broken the kawa'.


It is important to understand that the defenders of Te Kawa o te Ako need not explain themselves. It is up to everyone to know the kawa of the place they are at. Ignorance of kawa is no excuse. Everyone is expected to respect the kawa of that place.


Mutual respect and pursuit of understanding enhance mana. The adequate and appropriate defence of kawa is expected and admired by others who will allow their behaviour to be influenced by it. Perceptions of weakness with respect to the maintenance of kawa will reduce the admiration felt by observers.


The use of drugs and the consumption of alcohol impede effective learning and teaching. Not only are users of drugs and consumers of alcohol reducing their own learning capacity, they are a risk to others. It is our view at Te Wānanga o Raukawa that alcohol reduces the capacity to act responsibly, and can lead to property damage and inappropriate behaviour.

Te Ōhākī

‘He kōrero, he tohutohu whakamutunga nā te tangata i mua i tōna matenga’


Te Ōhākī represents the embodiment of the dying wish of Ngāpera Wi Kohika, a former staff member of Te Wānanga o Raukawa. Her request was that we should all learn from her experience in suffering from smoking related illnesses, which contributed directly to her loss of life.


Te Wānanga o Raukawa has committed to the goal of an entire student and staff population free from the irreversible effects of carcinogens, poisons and toxins contained within cigarettes and tobacco. Māori have suffered disproportionately from smoking related illnesses since tobacco first arrived in Aotearoa almost 200 years ago. As a tikanga and kaupapa based institution, we believe in the potential of Te Ōhākī to assume a greater level of rangatiratanga over our collective health and wellbeing.


We aim to provide those of our students who smoke with the support, tools and knowledge to be able to work towards a lifestyle that is totally free from smoking. Ultimately, our broader goal is that all Te Wānanga o Raukawa students and graduates will be in a strong position to positively influence whānau in making informed decisions around wellbeing and good health.

Theory and understanding of Wānanga

Read an adaption on the Theory and Understanding of Wānanga from the writings of Professor Whatarangi Winiata, 2001.


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