About Us
Te Arawai is the education and partnerships arm of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Working with iwi, business, government, and communities across Aotearoa and around the world, we deliver transformational education that keeps us all connected — to culture, to each other, and to lifelong learning. We build capability, strategic influence, cultural leadership, and measurable outcomes for learners, organisations, and communities everywhere.
Our Why
As part of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, we inherit a compelling legacy: an organisation built on the vision of our founders, who believed that education grounded in mātauranga Māori (indigenous knowledge) could transform whānau (families), communities, and nations. Their vision still guides us — a commitment to whānau transformation through education that has remained steadfast for more than 40 years.
We walk in that legacy today. Our values are not words on a page — they are lived daily. They shape how we partner, how we teach, and how we innovate. Aroha (love and care), Whakapono (trust and integrity), Ngā Ture (responsibility and accountability), and Kotahitanga (unity and collective strength) guide every pathway we create.
Te Arawai builds authentic, values-led partnerships that uphold cultural integrity and embrace digital innovation. Like waterways that flow and converge, we create channels through which knowledge and relationships travel across land, sea, and space.
We stand for education that is grounded in mātauranga Māori, while opening pathways for global collaboration and opportunity. We connect people, place, and possibility — strengthening individuals, organisations, and communities in Aotearoa-New Zealand and beyond. In doing so, we honour our past, live our values, and forge ahead with purpose.
About our name: Te Arawai
Te Arawai speaks to connection and movement — the channel through which relationships flow across land, sea, and space.
Ara (noun) means a way, path, or passageway; as a verb, it means to rise up, to awake, to arise.
Wai (noun) means water — the rivers, currents, and flows that sustain life and carry us forward.
Te Arawai builds pathways that connect people and knowledge, enabling growth and positive change for individuals, organisations, and communities in Aotearoa-New Zealand and across the world.
Why choose Te Arawai
- Trusted experience - Backed by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, we bring over 40 years of delivering transformative education across Aotearoa-New Zealand.
- Culturally authentic – Our courses are underpinned by mātauranga Māori (indigenous knowledge), ensuring learning that is values-led, inclusive, and grounded in integrity.
- Practical pathways – Designed for individuals and organisations, our courses turn knowledge into action.
- Meaningful results – We help people and organisations grow stronger, more connected, and better equipped for the future.
Testimonials
"Completing Piharoa has created a greater urgency within our work environment to highlight the inequities that exist regarding the health and wellbeing for Māori. Learning that Te Tiriti o Waitangi is still relevant today made an important difference for me. For example, The Third Article: Ōritetanga and how health inequities – access to healthcare/services and medicines, still adversely affect Māori today. The facilitators created a 'safe place' among our Piharoa whānau where mistakes and vulnerabilities were seen as learning opportunities."
Tony Davison, Business Unit Manager
Boehringer Ingelheim (NZ)
"As a former Māngai and cultural advisor to the National Board and CEO of our organisation (now Pou Aarahi aa Motu), I enrolled in Piharoa to consider the program’s content and delivery, and how it could assist mainstream corporations and organisations in building cultural capability when engaging with iwi entities and Māori authorities. Piharoa had me fully connected through its informative and interactive methods of how to work within these cultural kaupapa (concepts)."
Ike Rakena, Pou Aarahi aa Motu
CCS Disability Action
"Joining the inaugural forum of Piharoa was a decision I initially hesitated to make, feeling too busy to take part. However, saying “yes” turned out to be one of the best choices I’ve ever made. The programme also equipped me with practical tools to deepen relationships with iwi, such as confidently sharing my pepeha. To anyone considering Piharoa, I wholeheartedly recommend it. It is a journey of learning, connection, and transformation with lasting impact."
Ryan Cavanagh, CEO
Timberlands (Rotorua)