A powerful story of aspiration, identity, and community is reshaping the future of nursing in Aotearoa. At its heart is an innovative programme that shows what’s possible when learning is grounded in kaupapa Māori and shaped by iwi, for iwi.
Led by Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa and delivered in partnership with Whitireia and WelTec, the Bachelor of Nursing Māori ‘Matariki’ programme is strengthening whānau, building community capability, and redefining what success in education can look like.
Grounded in culture, connection, and manaakitanga, the programme was developed to help address the underrepresentation of Māori in nursing and to support the growth of confident, capable practitioners who remain closely connected to their communities. As the first ‘Matariki’ cohort prepares to graduate, the impact is clear - seen in the journeys of ākonga like Horowai Moeahu (Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa).
For Horowai, nursing is about honouring her whakapapa, caring for her whānau, and serving her community. A mother of four, she is now in her final year of the Bachelor of Nursing Māori ‘Matariki’.
"I wasn’t even sure I had the qualifications to become a nurse," she says. "But here I am, almost a graduate."
Horowai’s journey began through her work with Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa, starting as a kaiawhina at a COVID-19 vaccination centre. She later supported whānau at drive-through clinics at Te Whiti Park and worked as a kaiārahi in Tamariki Ora. "I loved helping and educating whānau Māori in their health journeys and protecting them against illness," she says. "That’s what inspired me to take this opportunity."
Guided by Te Ao Māori and Te Ao Tapuhi, the Bachelor of Nursing Māori ‘Matariki’ combines marae-based wānanga, whānau-centred learning, and strong connections to whenua and whakapapa. The wānanga learning in Waiwhetū has been especially meaningful for Horowai.
"I didn’t stay at high school long and struggled in a classroom," she says. "But studying on my whenua puts me at ease. If I feel overwhelmed, I can look to my awa, walk, see my maunga, or go to the marae. That helps me reset."
Clinical placements - especially in a hospital ward - have further shaped her path. "That’s when it hit me, I won’t be a student much longer. I’ll be a registered Māori nurse caring for patients."
With graduation approaching in September, Horowai has clear goals. In the short term, she plans to gain hospital experience while continuing to give back to Te Āti Awa communities, including through Tamariki Ora. Longer term, she hopes to become a nurse practitioner and return to Taranaki. "I’d love to open a nursing-led medical centre for our Māori people, staffed by Māori nurses and doctors."
As Horowai prepares to enter the workforce, her journey shows what’s possible when education is delivered by, with, and for Māori - connected to identity, strengthened by whānau, and driven by purpose.
