Manukau Institute of Technology and Unitec are preparing to welcome kaimahi and tauira Māori from across the motu for Te Toi Tauira mō te Matariki at Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae on 24 to 26 September 2025.

This will be the 21st Toi Tauira, the annual national kaupapa Māori Wānanga-a-Tau established in 1999. MIT previously hosted Toi Tauira in 2019, while Unitec will host this event for the first time since 2015.

Toi Tauira is primarily an opportunity for kaimahi from the vocational and tertiary sector to meet and kōrero, whakawhiti whakaaro (negotiate) and wānanga (gathering), to share their mātauranga (wisdom), mōhiotanga (knowledge), and pūkenga (skill) on good practice kaupapa and models to awhi, tautoko, and advance Māori (tauira and kaimahi) in and across the tertiary education sector.

Te Toi Tauira translates to "exemplars for the millennium" and is a platform for sharing knowledge.

The theme for this year is “Whiria te tangata Māori, Whiria te matauranga" (Weave the people, weave the knowledge).

“This whakataukī speaks about the importance of interconnection between people and knowledge. Strength, understanding, and progress comes when we weave relationships together with learning,” says Dr Wiremu Manaia (Tainui, Ngāti Awa), Pou Whakarewa Matauranga Māori: Director – Māori Education, MIT.

"Manukau Institute of Technology is proud to host this year’s Te Toi Tauira hui in partnership with Unitec, especially as we move toward merging into a single organisation.  Collaborating on such a significant event reflects the future we are building together and demonstrates how we will work, operate, and function. We look forward to this year’s hui with great excitement and in anticipation."

Lee Cooper (Ngāpuhi), co-chair Te Tira Whakahaere, Te Toi Tauira mō te Matariki adds: “Our kaimahi and tauira Māori really need this wānanga to reconnect Māori to share knowledge and good practises of how to manaaki Māori – tauira mai, kaimahi mai – under our theme.”

“This is also aligned to the kaupapa matua which underpin our presentations and workshops: te reo Māori me ngā tikanga; student recruitment and retention (e.g. academic support and pastoral care); staff recruitment and retention (e.g. professional development initiatives); administration, management, and/or governance; and teaching, learning, research, and/or completion of a postgraduate qualification.”

“The interrelationship between people and knowledge is essential to find and exercise our individual and collective strength and understanding to weave human relationships together with teaching and learning.”

“As we’ve been going through continual change as a sector, one of the things we’ve kept front and centre has been our values, having our tauira at the heart of what we do, and being mindful of the legacy of those who’ve gone before us as we chart the future for those to come,” says Vivienne Merito (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko), Taharangi, Director - Māori Success, Unitec.

“At MIT and Unitec, we’ve recently launched a Waka Hourua that sets us on a path that recognises our respective whakapapa and tuakiritanga, providing a platform for greater collaboration.

“And we’ve been blessed to have worked alongside our NorthTec whānau in recent years as Rohe One under Te Pūkenga. We look forward to being able to reconnect and accept the mauri from our tuakana from Te Tai Tokerau.

“In these times, as whānau Māori, it’s important that we come together to charter direction which ensures the aspirations of our tauira, kaimahi, and those who’ve gone before us, can continue to be realised. The strength of coming together at this time and in this place particularly under the banner of Te Noho Kotahitanga couldn’t be more important. We can’t wait.”

An exciting lineup of guest speakers from across the motu have been confirmed for Toi Tauira 2025.

Teacher, author, poet, historian and pioneering Māori broadcaster. Tā (Sir) Haare Williams will deliver the keynote opening address. As Unitec’s former Dean of Māori Education and inaugural Pae Ārahi, his presence and wisdom will set the tone for the three-day programme.

We acknowledge the support of our main sponsor, Ako Aotearoa and warmly welcome the Mata Moana team – Ako Aotearoa: Dr Joe Te Rito (Kaihautū Mātauranga Māori), Dr Mei Winitana (Kaiwhakahaere Mātauranga Māori), Pale Sauni (Pacific Priorities and Cultural Leader) and Saylene Ulberg-Tanielu (Pacific Cultural Advisor) who will speak on the second day of the hui.

Kaimahi Māori are invited to submit their abstracts for consideration to be presented at Toi Tauira 2025.

See the full programme for Tauira 2025 or register to attend 

For general enquiries about Toi Tauira 2025 email marae@unitec.ac.nz

For media requests email communications@unitec.ac.nz