8 minute read
West Auckland schools deepen identity through iwi partnership
At the heart of authentic partnership between schools and mana whenua in West Tāmaki Makaurau stands Te Kawerau ā Maki, a local iwi whose Mana Kura programme weaves pūrākau into teaching and learning.
Principals from Kōnini School, Henderson North School and Oaklynn Special School share how this partnership has given kaimahi the confidence to embrace local mātauranga Māori and deepen their sense of place.
The Mana Kura programme provides schools with a rich, place-based connection to whenua and history.
Launched four years ago, it supports cultural safety and strengthens understanding of te ao Māori through a Te Kawerau ā Maki lens.
Mana Kura deepens awareness of each school’s unique place on the whenua and nurtures a sense of belonging for Māori and non-Māori alike – encompassing tumuaki, teachers, rangatahi and whānau.
Mana Kura was designed as a minimum three-year commitment. In that time, it builds lasting relationships and shares knowledge from Te Kawerau ā Maki in West Auckland schools in a way that can endure and adapt to the country’s evolving curriculum.
The first year builds foundations; the second strengthens collaboration and co-design, and the third embeds iwi knowledge and a shared vision for the future.
Principals from Kōnini School, Henderson North School and Oaklynn Special School have shared how the Mana Kura programme has reshaped their approach to embedding te ao Māori in education and strengthened their schools’ identity and legacy.
A sense of place
Aleesha Tia Taua, kaimahi mātauranga at Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust, says the Mana Kura programme was created to give schools a sense of place.
Instead of surface-level professional development in te ao Māori, Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust and schools saw the Mana Kura programme as a means of building permanence.
“We want pūrākau and local histories to become part of a school’s identity, empowering teachers with the confidence and tools to carry that knowledge forward,” says Aleesha.
“We do not arrive with a cookie-cutter programme. Our aim is to create something authentic that reflects iwi and resonates with each school’s unique values and vision for the future.”
Central to the approach is whakawhanaungatanga. Through presentations and workshops, kaimahi mātauranga share pepeha, values and iwi histories.
Teachers continue the dialogue online, before iwi facilitators help shape learning themes – often beginning with a local landmark or pūrākau that resonates with the community.
Kōnini School: Storytelling through performance
At Kōnini in Glen Eden, the Mana Kura journey has been centred on deepening the primary school’s pepeha through creative expression.
Principal Andrew Ducat says the partnership transformed their identity as a school.
“We had a pepeha, but it was not created in partnership with iwi. Working with Te Kawerau ā Maki gave it real depth. Now all our staff and tamariki can tell the story of our place with confidence.”
That confidence came alive in a whole-school Matariki production involving 410 students and 25 staff. Each class explored a line of the pepeha through music, drama and visual arts – culminating in a whānau performance in the school amphitheatre.
“It was the sort of event that brings a tear to your eye,” reflects Andrew. “Through storytelling, learning is embedded in a deep, lasting way. The performance was not just art – it was a celebration of collective identity.”
Teachers now feel more confident weaving local history into their practice, while students have developed a stronger sense of place. Building on this momentum, Kōnini School is planning to publish a gifted pūrākau from Te Kawerau ā Maki, illustrated by tamariki and guided by local artists.
“The beauty of the partnership with Te Kawerau ā Maki is their deep connection with local elders, educators and talent adept in iwi knowledge, providing us with the safety to resource appropriate artists, publishers and even local funding to make projects like the publication of Kōnini School’s gifted pūrākau book possible,” says Andrew.
Henderson North School: A legacy in print
At Henderson North School, partnership with Te Kawerau ā Maki sparked a cultural shift.
Principal Donna Nee describes the partnership as “flipping the culture of learning by asking ‘ko wai mātou’ – who are we as a school, and how are we situated in Henderson North?”
With iwi support, the kura revisited and revised its pepeha, explored local pūrākau and created artwork to retell these stories – particularly that of Panuku and Parekura.
In the legend, Parekura is abducted by the turehu Nihotupu, but leaves a trail of cloak feathers for her husband, Panuku, who tracks Nihotupu to a cave, defeats him and rescues her. This story gave rise to the names of the Opanuku and Parekura streams in West Auckland, acting as a valuable history lesson for students.
These learnings rooted in Te Kawerau ā Maki-tanga extended into literacy through a partnership with author David Riley and Auckland City Council. Guided by iwi, students wrote and illustrated the pūrākau of Panuku and Parekura, a professionally published book infused with the whakapapa of the surrounding Henderson area.
Launched at Matariki 2025 and dedicated to the late kaumātua Papa George, the book was distributed to local libraries, schools and whānau.
“It was a stunning collaboration. It upheld cultural integrity and spread learning across the community,” shares Donna.
The project has since inspired other kura, offering both a treasured story and a model of authentic partnership.
Oaklynn Special School: Embedding pūrākau across the curriculum
At Oaklynn Special School in New Lynn, with 230 students across 13 sites, the Mana Kura programme has taken a distinctive form. Serving learners with the most complex needs – from intellectual and physical to sensory and neurodiverse challenges – the school’s partnership with Te Kawerau ā Maki has been nothing short of transformative.
Principal Louise Doyle, who has led the kura for 18 years, describes the programme as “phenomenal”.
Each term, Oaklynn School is gifted a pūrākau connected to iwi tupuna. With Mana Kura facilitators, teachers unpack the story and adapt it into accessible, multi-sensory learning across science, arts, literacy and expressive performance.
“When we learned about Hoturoa, captain of the Tainui waka, our younger students built boats and sang waiata, while older students studied floating and sinking,” says Louise.
“The pūrākau became a powerful vehicle for engagement across the wide range of learners we support, aged five to 21.”
The expressive arts – drama, dance, drumming – have been central to helping students connect with the stories, while iwi guidance ensured cultural authenticity.
The Mana Kura programme also supported Oaklynn School through the challenge of creating a school pepeha that reflected both iwi connections and the identity of its many sites.
For Louise, one of the biggest changes has been staff confidence.
“Over five years ago, many teachers admitted they could ‘do better’ in cultural competency. Now, they can give real examples of practice. That is a huge shift.”
The growing demand for authentic partnership
In its four years, the Mana Kura programme has expanded to nearly 80 schools and tertiary institutions, with numbers expected to reach 100 next year. Schools can fund their programmes directly. This means Te Kawerau ā Maki retain ownership of mātauranga and its authentic delivery.
“Schools are desperate for this kind of partnership,” says Aleesha.
“We found that teachers often avoided teaching te ao Māori out of the natural fear of getting it wrong. The Mana Kura programme provides a safe space for them to ask questions, to learn and to pass knowledge on meaningfully.”
The experiences of Kōnini, Henderson North and Oaklynn show that while the journey looks different for each kura, all are enriched through partnership. Whether through performance, publishing or expressive arts, these schools demonstrate what is possible when mana whenua and kura walk together.
Aleesha’s message to other schools is clear: begin the conversation.
“Partnership is not about following a template, it is about listening, co-designing and honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi through true collaboration. That is how you create change that lasts.”
Kupu | Vocabulary
Tāmaki Makaurau: Auckland
iwi: tribe
mana whenua: people with authority over ancestral land
Te Kawerau ā Maki: name of the local iwi in West Auckland
Mana Kura: name of the iwi-led education programme
pūrākau: ancestral story or legend
kaimahi: staff member
whenua: land
te ao Māori: the Māori world
tumuaki: principal
rangatahi: youth
whānau: family
kaimahi mātauranga: education officer
whakawhanaungatanga: relationship building
pepeha: a personal or group identity statement
tamariki: children
kura: school
ko wai mātou: who are we?
Te Kawerau ā Maki-tanga: the essence or identity of Te Kawerau ā Maki
whakapapa: genealogy or lineage
kaumātua: elder
waiata: song
waka: canoe
tupuna: ancestor
Te Tiriti o Waitangi: the Treaty of Waitangi
