Cabinet minister Tama Potaka hongis with Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro after the swearing-in ceremony at Government House, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Cabinet minister Tama Potaka hongis with Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro after the swearing-in ceremony at Government House, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
OPINION
Ko Pukenui te maunga, ko Kairangi te awa, ko Ngāi Te Aute te iwi, anei te mokopuna e!
Pukenui is the mountain, Kairangi is the river, Ngāi Te Aute is the iwi, here is the grandchild!
In late January 1989, my mother dropped me off at Te Aute College in Hawke’s Bay following in the footsteps of my brother and many whānau members.
Anglican leader Samuel Williams founded Te Aute nestled in the Pukehou valley in 1854 with significant whenua endowments from the Crown and tangata whenua Te Whatuiāpiti.
Sir Mason Durie is one of the many distinguished Māori to have attended Te Aute College. Photo / NZME
Te Aute hardwired us into an unbroken heritage of Māori male success - Te Rangihiroa, Maui Pōmare, Eddie and Mason (actually anyone with the last name) Durie, Howard Morrison, Peter Sharples, and our most notable old boy and National Party co-founder Āpirana Ngata.
As students, we experienced an unparalleled array of opportunities in Māori culture, sport, and Mihinare (Anglican) enlightenment. People like Anaru Takurua, Fred Jackson, and Jenny Senior guided us to live out our school motto - Acquit Yourself, Be Strong or Whakatangata Kia Kaha.
Te Aute ignited mental fortitude to survive and thrive in any conditions. I learned about resilience and diversity within iwi and Māori communities throughout the country and the importance of tuakana-teina relationships.
We were often bussed to faraway places like Whakarua Park in Ruatoria (for the 50th anniversary of old boy Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu receiving the Victoria Cross) or Pariroa Marae near Pātea (for cultural engagement and entertainment).
It is no surprise that many of my college peers have led successful lives – being media personalities, sports stars, primary sector players, judges, professionals and Māori language, community and tikanga champions.
Being part of Te Aute was critical in helping me adapt and evolve from a Māori boy into a man.
St Stephen's College.
It was heartening therefore to attend the recent pōhiri for Yvette McCausland-Durie and Nathan Durie who are the new co-principals at Tipene (St Stephen’s School) in Bombay. Tipene is the brother school of Te Aute College and is also responsible for producing multiple Māori (and Pasifika) national leaders.
Tipene will reopen in February 2025 and reconstruction works are well under way. The Tipene commitment to help young men realise their potential through sports and in a kaupapa Māori setting is unyielding. It is shared across many different types of schools and particularly wharekura and the Māori boarding schools. The new principals will guide their tauira within their school motto - Constanter In Caelum or Steadfastly Towards the Heavens.
Coach Yvette McCausland-Durie and Tiana Metuarau of the Pulse pose with the ANZ Premiership trophy during the 2022 ANZ Premiership. Photo / Getty
Right now, the University Entrance equivalent achievement rate for Māori boys is less than 20 per cent.
Less than half of our Māori boys are regularly attending school. Delivering on the potential of Māori boys will make the best country on earth even better, reduce taxpayer liability over time, and best manage a demographically ageing population.
Government can do this by enabling credible education leaders focused on doing the basics brilliantly – reading, writing and maths – as well as te reo Māori and health and wellbeing. I look forward to seeing many more young men and women graduate from Te Aute, Tipene, and all schools committed to Māori boys’ and girls’ educational success.
