Tuia te Tai Poutini wānanga

Tuia is a leadership programme run for rangatahi Māori to strengthen their vision of themselves and their place in the world.

On the last weekend of the school holidays, rangatahi Māori gathered from all over the country at Arahura marae for three days of exploration and discussion of what it is to be Māori in the modern world. Senior students from schools across the West Coast meet with tuakana, young Māori leaders, to strengthen their vision of life for themselves, and the contributions that they can make to their whānau, kura, Māori, their wider community, country and the world.

The wānanga leaders, the Tuia tukana, were drawn from across the country as far afield as Whangarei, Waikato and Kapiti. Tuia is a national organisation of young Māori leaders wanting to contribute and shape the future for Māori youth and communities. A number of the tuakana were also involved in the Matariki kaupapa which involved visiting and contributing at seven marae across the country, which includes Arahura marae.

Inclement weather put pay to the planned tree planting at the pa as part of the Arahura Restoration project. But the rain relented enough to connect with the awa Arahura at Milltown and to explore how regenerating ngahere (forest) can stabilize the land and ecosystem.

This year's wānanga programme has also been altered by the challenges created by Covid 19 but has continued to support rangatahi wellbeing and encourage them to make good decisions and build positive connections and relationships. Together they have contributed to a collective vision of a positive future for rangatahi on Te Tai Poutini (West Coast).

This year’s programme will conclude with a celebration evening and next year's programme will be starting again in February-March.