What’s the UC student experience like?
There are a lot of events, and I’m always encouraged to get involved. Some of us in the class are older, or have kids and families, but everyone always welcomes us with open arms. I’ve joined up with the Te Akatoki Māori student association and go to a lot of their social gatherings, as well as some kapa haka.
Speaking of kapa haka, that’s been a pretty big part of your life!
I’ve done kapa haka my whole life. I’ve always loved it. My parents were a part of groups while I was growing up, and I was always in groups, both in and outside of school, and different travel groups. It's a big part of the wider Christchurch community.
There are heaps of different Māori communities in Ōtautahi – you’ve got things like your te reo, your wānanga communities. We’re all connected through lots of different ones, but kapa haka is the one that binds the most of us together.
And what is the Māori community like at UC?
The personal connections I have with UC Māori mean a lot. We’ve all developed great relationships. I know these people are trustworthy and feel like I can always go to them. It’s like a big whānau, and I’ve got aunties and cousins and friends I’ve grown up with that all work at UC now. My brother even works at UC Māori. It all builds a bigger community within UC.
Do you see examples of UC’s values being lived out on campus?
100%. I see real examples of them all the time. The constant support from UC Māori is the epitome of manaakitanga. Within my class, we’re all very much a whānau. We’ve built a connection, going from strangers to family, which is a credit to our teachers for creating that environment of safety and belonging – that’s whanaugatanga. And tiakitanga reminds me of the whole UC experience – everyone doing what they can.
