Piki ake, kake ake i te Toihuarewa te ara o Tāwhaki i piki ai ki runga...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou katoa. He kupu poto ēnei nāku mo te ihonui nei a Toihuarewa. He atinga no te hua kairākau a Te Kawa a Māui.
Mā te wā hei titiro. Mā ngā hua ka mōhio ai. Heoi anō ko te tūmanako ka tipu ka rea hei ihonui whaitikanga.
In 2001, the University formalised its ihonui, or Māori academic forum, as a separate University-wide faculty-equivalent called Toihuarewa. Toihuarewa, means the pathway taken by Tāwhaki (te ara o Tāwhaki), to achieve higher learning. Toihuarewa is symbolised by the poutama pattern, which depicts periods of growth/work/ascent, and by periods of plateau/consolidation/gestation.
Role
The seeds of Toihuarewa were sown during the University’s 2000 Deficit Reduction Project, which proposed an ihonui to:
- provide for Māori academic opportunities and innovation;
- ensure the provision of programmes that help the University meet its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi;
- facilitate a variety of approaches to the expression of both kaupapa Māori and mātauranga Māori within the University;
- establish a centre for the collaboration of cross-disciplinary ideas and research;
- oversee Māori academic interests of staff, students and tangata whenua.
Within a whare is a clearly defined and central space called an ihonui, which allows room for people to gather. Our ihonui is the place in the University where Māori academic interests can be discussed, debated and deliberated on.
Toihuarewa is also an expression of the University's commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi and its establishment is unique among New Zealand universities.
The main focus of Toihuarewa is on Māori learning, Māori teaching and Māori research. It provides a Māori perspective and a Māori voice on academic issues, and operates from a base of tikanga and kaupapa Māori. In that context, its meetings are held on the University's Te Herenga Waka Marae.
Formation
The first half of 2001 was spent developing the University’s ihonui. The convenor of Toihuarewa is the Toiahurei, the Māori Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC Māori).
The Victoria University Council formally approved the establishment of Toihuarewa on 25 June 2001, for implementation from 1 July. Toihuarewa held its inaugural meeting on 12 July 2001 and has met regularly since then.
The Toiahurei is charged with ensuring appropriate strategies and policies are introduced and monitored to develop the Victoria University partnership with Māori. The PVC Māori provides advice to, and acts on behalf of, the Vice-Chancellor and actively promotes the development of policy as it relates to Māori, including providing leadership in Māori academic development in teaching and research.