For many of our people, the journey towards te reo Māori begins long before they enrol in a programme. It begins with a feeling. A desire to understand. A longing to reconnect.

A hope that one day they might confidently stand, speak, and participate as Māori.

Whether living beside their marae, in another rohe, or on the other side of the world, many carry within them a longing to return to the language of their tūpuna. For some, that desire is sparked by the arrival of tamariki or mokopuna. For others, it emerges through a search for identity, belonging, or a deeper understanding of whakapapa.

Whatever the reason, the journey often begins with a single step.

At Te Wānanga o Raukawa, we have had the privilege of walking alongside thousands of ākonga as they begin and continue that journey through Poupou Huia Te Reo.

Over time, confidence grows. Whānau begin using te reo together. People find the courage to stand and introduce themselves, participate on their marae, and engage more fully in Māori spaces. What begins as curiosity often becomes commitment. What begins as a single word can become a lifelong journey.

For many, learning te reo Māori is about far more than language acquisition.

It can be a pathway to reconnecting with whakapapa, identity, and belonging. As confidence grows, so too does a deeper connection to whānau, marae, hapū and iwi. For some, that journey can be transformative, nourishing the taha wairua, taha hinengaro, taha whānau and taha tinana that together sustain our wellbeing.

As ākonga become more confident and more connected, many develop a desire to continue learning. A desire not only to speak the language, but to live it, understand it more deeply, and pass it on to future generations.

It is from this aspiration that Poupou Huia Te Reo 3 has emerged.

Designed for graduates of Poupou Huia Te Reo 1 and 2, the programme provides an opportunity for learners to broaden and deepen the language they have already acquired through immersive, culturally grounded, and contemporary learning experiences.

Throughout the programme, students will further develop their speaking, listening, writing, comprehension and language analysis skills while engaging with karakia, mōteatea, kīwaha, advanced pepeha, and traditional and contemporary pūrākau. Learning is contextualised within the spaces where te reo naturally belongs, within whānau, marae, hapū, iwi and hāpori.

The programme also encourages learners to engage with mātauranga Māori and explore narratives connected to Ngāti Raukawa while strengthening connections to the histories, stories and traditions of their own people.

"The real beauty of learning te reo Māori is not simply in what one person comes to know, but in what they are able to share. As a person grows in their reo journey, it naturally begins to reach their whānau, marae, and the generations who come after them.” Raymond Peeti, Huia Te Reo Pūkenga.

That aspiration sits at the heart of Poupou Huia Te Reo 3.

The hope is not simply to create more graduates, but to contribute to the growth of confident speakers who will use te reo Māori in their homes, on their marae, within their workplaces, and throughout their communities.

Importantly, the programme is delivered online, making it accessible to learners throughout Aotearoa and beyond.

One former student began their reo journey while living in the United Kingdom. Through Poupou Huia Te Reo they gained the confidence to continue into immersion language learning and are now undertaking postgraduate study in Aotearoa. Their story reflects what many learners discover, that te reo Māori can open pathways to deeper connections, greater confidence, and lifelong growth.

In keeping the commitment of Te Wānanga o Raukawa to allow access for our people, Poupou Huia Te Reo programmes are available free to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, enabling learners from throughout Aotearoa and around the world to strengthen their connection to te reo Māori.

The introduction of Poupou Huia Te Reo 3 reflects a simple but important belief: that those who begin their reo journey should have opportunities to continue it.

Because every new speaker, every new conversation and every tamaiti who hears te reo spoken in the home strengthens te reo Māori. And every generation that chooses to learn and speak the language strengthens its future.

The reo was gifted to us by those who came before. It is now our responsibility to carry it forward.

Kua oti ngā tūāpapa. Kua tae te wā kia whakapakari tonu i te reo. Enrolments for Poupou Huia Te Reo 3 are now open.



Nā reira, nau mai, hoki mai ki te ara reo. Mā te reo ka ora ai te iwi. Mā te iwi ka ora ai te reo.