West Auckland Māori bilingual units are places where tamariki and whānau can feel deeply connected, valued, and supported through consistent access to kaupapa Māori wellbeing pathways. By weaving te reo Māori, tikanga, and whakapapa into everyday learning, these kura become safe, strong foundations for identity, belonging, and lifelong hauora.
Passionate Māori kaiako nurture tamariki and their cultural identity every day. This kaupapa is strengthened when kaiako have access to resources, training, and networks that help them expand and share their mātauranga, creating more opportunities for tamariki to experience te reo Māori, whakapapa, and tikanga as part of everyday learning.
Insights gathered during initial wānanga with whānau and kaiako highlighted three clear priorities for West Auckland bilingual units:
- deeper whānau engagement
- consistent access to wellbeing opportunities, and
- sustainability through local capability building.
Through strong partnership with Kī o Rahi Tāmaki Makaurau, Tū Kotahi, Toi Mauri Ora, and The Kindness Institute, $103,000 in combined funding from Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa and the Education Partnership and Innovation Trust (EPIT) has been secured to help bilingual units at Rānui Primary and New Windsor School deliver on these priorities.
Maria Laxa, Vice Principal of New Windsor School, says:
“This journey through Whāia Te Oranga has been powerful for our tamariki. Having Mau Rākau delivered in our bilingual unit has helped them connect more deeply to te ao Māori, through te reo and tikanga. We’ve seen their confidence grow and their sense of identity strengthen. It’s about more than just wellbeing – it’s about feeling proud of who they are and where they come from. We’re thankful to those who helped make this happen.”
Healthy Families Waitākere, alongside its partners and funders, remains focused on creating the conditions for tamariki to flourish through kaupapa Māori pathways – strengthening identity, community, and a sense of belonging for generations to come. Systems Innovator, Christian Curtis, continues.
“We’re working closely with our partners and schools to shape what the next year will look like for our tamariki – building a strong foundation that will set them on a pathway to lifelong hauora.”
