The achievements of almost 100 tauira from across the Eastern Bay were celebrated at the De Luxe Theatre on Friday as Te Wānanga o Aotearoa held its annual He Puāwaitanga graduation ceremony in Ōpōtiki.

Whānau, friends and kaiako gathered at the historic theatre to recognise the hard work and dedication of graduates who had completed studies in te reo Māori, Māori worldview and Māori and Indigenous art.

A total of 98 graduates received qualifications ranging from foundation-level te reo Māori programmes through to advanced language and arts diplomas.

The ceremony recognised graduates from Te Ara Reo Māori, Te Rōnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi, Te Whāinga o te Ao Tikanga, and Māori and Indigenous Art programmes.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa chief executive officer Evie O’Brien said graduation was a significant milestone in the learning journey of tauira and an opportunity to celebrate the wider impact of education within communities.

“He Puāwaitanga means ‘to come to fruition’, and represents not just the completion of your studies, but the growth and transformation you have experienced along the way,” she said.

O’Brien said Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s vision recognised that education created positive change beyond the individual learner.

“When one person succeeds, their whānau, hapū and iwi benefit too.

“That’s why your achievement today is not just yours alone – it’s something to be shared and celebrated by all those who have supported you along the way.”

The largest group of graduates came from the Te Ara Reo Māori programmes, with students completing Levels 1 through 4 of their language studies. Others were recognised for qualifications in tikanga Māori, advanced te reo Māori and Māori and indigenous art.

Level 3 Te Ara Reo Māori graduate Tea Hunia was excited to receive her diploma and very grateful for te wānanga’s local presence in the town and the high level of tutorship available.

“Kia ora Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and the kaimahi ahikā for making our culture accessible to us in Ōpōtiki,” she said.

Classmate Darius Apanui-Nepe has similar high praise for the tertiary institution.

“Mean kaiako, they made things easier to understand and I was really happy to be able to reconnect with my whānau heritage,” he said.

The graduation ceremony highlighted the growing interest in Māori language and cultural education throughout the district, with many tauira balancing study alongside work, family and community commitments.

Te Kaha tauira Liisa Wharepapa undertook her studies while working, raising two children and serving as a school board representative.

“I studied for my whānau, my hāpori, my hapū and my iwi,” she said.

Held during the De Luxe Theatre’s centenary year, the graduation ceremony provided a fitting backdrop for celebrating local achievement and lifelong learning.

The event concluded with waiata, karakia and refreshments as graduates and their whānau gathered to mark the culmination of their studies and the beginning of the next stage of their learning journeys.