Ngā Kete o Te Wānanga

'Titiro whakamuri, kia anga whakamua'

To face the future, look to the past.

Te Whare Wānanga o Te Kurahuna provides training to any organisation who work with Māori and are committed to improving Māori outcomes. Pūrākau is our trademark. It fosters critical thinking, creative expression and the ability to reconnect to whakapapa while deep diving into a new way of being.

Objectives to learn and connect with:

Pūrākau Atua/Tīpuna – Ancestral Stories
Karakia Tawhito – Ancient Rituals
Tikanga Māori – Customary Māori Protocols
Whakapapa – Genealogy/History

Select the training below that you wish to learn more about and/or register for.

Rangimatauru Mataora TrainingSelf directed online lessons

Rangi Parauri Intensive Mataora Training

PūrākauOne year access (subscriptions available)

Tūporeariki WānangaRegistrations open

Setting up Mahi a Atua systems to improve outcomes in your community

Want to transform your current mental health and addiction services or are looking to establish a Mahi a Atua framework in your community/organisation? Talk to us. We want to help!

With our background in supporting the developing of services such at Te Hiringa Matua,Te Kūwatawata in Gisborne, Paepae Arahi's MOE pilot 'Taitaiako' and Te Kūwatawata ki Hauraki, we have developed an implementation plan to support project planning and management.

Contact us for a kōrero

The story of Mataora and Niwareka

Mataora was a paramount chief of the physical world. He fell in love and married Niwareka, a beautiful princess from the spiritual realm. Their story is one of changing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour. It is the story of many firsts; first account of intimate abuse, first account of nursing, and of how Moko (Māori tattoo) originated. On their spiritual journey Mataora and Niwareka pursued a more peaceful way of being by bringing the arts (including moko and raranga whatu/weave and stitch) into the physical world where they grew and flourished (until colonisation). Mataora promised to forever strive to be good. This story of promise is held in the whakatauki (below) shared with Mataora by Uetonga, Niwareka's father and Ruaumoko's (the youngest child of sky and earth) grandson:

“Whaia Nga Mahi o Rarohenga”

Strive to be better than average

Mataora (change agents)

Practitioners who specialise in Mahi a Atua. Mataora develop their own pukenga (skills) by embedding the Mahi a Atua principles in their lives. Mataora prioritise oranga whakapapa (bringing our stories to life) and reconnect whānau to their own stories by sharing pūrākau.

Find out more