Tuākana Arts and Education
Tuākana is a community that provides mentoring for undergraduate Māori and Pacific students.
Tuākana in the Faculty of Arts and Education
Tuākana is a Māori and Pacific philosophy of care, expressed in the whakataukī ‘mā te tuākana e tōtika te teina, mā te teina e tōtika te tuakana’. The Tuākana programme is based on the tuākana-teina relationship, in which the older sibling (tuākana) guides the younger sibling (teina). Pacific islands such as Tahiti, Fiji and Niue also share the concept.
The tuākana provides guidance to the teina; as the senior person in the relationship, they share their knowledge, skills and expertise. The exchange is reciprocal, as the tuākana also learns from their teina.
At the University, Tuākana is where Māori and Pacific students thrive on campus. We celebrate and nurture Indigenous success. In the Tuākana programme, there is space for whanaungatanga, wānanga, fonotaga, tutorials and workshops. The Faculty of Arts and Education offers Tuākana programmes for students across all its disciplines.
Our Tuākana teaching assistants, who are the frontline of our programme, are high-achieving Māori and Pacific students who provide academic support to our teina. Our academic support is designed to enrich students' experience while prioritising academic success.
During the semester, we host a variety of workshops, Talanoa/talk-story and writing sessions by utilising the best practices in Māori and Pacific teaching to help students reach their academic potential while building lasting relationships within the faculty’s community. We also have shared kai and kōrero throughout the year to foster whakawhānaungatanga.
As a Tuākana programme within the Faculty of Arts and Education, we provide a culturally inclusive and supportive space from the first year of study through to graduation.
If you have any questions or require help, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Contact
Email the team at tuakanaaed@auckland.ac.nz or come and see us in 201-419.
Student Support Adviser – Māori
Ko Raven Tawhara tōku ingoa. I am the Student Support Advisor for tauira Māori in the Faculty of Arts and Education.
My role is to support you throughout your studies, whether you need general advice, pastoral care, financial support or just someone to kōrero with. It is my mission to help you not only succeed but excel here at university. If you ever need support, have questions, or just want to pop in for a chat, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Looking forward to meeting and supporting you this year!
Email: raven.tawhara@auckland.ac.nz
Student Support Adviser – Pacific
Talofa lava, my name is Tuivalu Lauganiu, and I’m the Student Support Adviser – Pasifika in Te Pūtahi Mātauranga, Faculty of Arts and Education.
I’m from Tokelau (Fakaofo) and Tuvalu (Nukufetau), and I graduated from Waipapa Taumata Rau in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Sociology. My role is to support and empower you on your academic journey through pastoral care and by connecting you with resources like our Tuākana Teaching Assistants. If you have any questions or need support, feel free to email me – I’m here to help.
Wishing you all the best, and I look forward to seeing you on campus.