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Ka u te waka!

Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu takes pride in maintaining the Takitimu waka mātauranga. Our relationship with our Takitimu waka and people is paramount in the ongoing perpetuation of our mātauranga which travelled onboard the Takitimu waka.

The people of Takitimu can trace its whakapapa back to;

  • Takitimu ki Aotearoa (Ngāti Kahu – Kaitaia, Tauranga moana, Te Tairawhiti, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāi Tahu)
  • Takitimu ki Rarotonga (Tumutevarovaro)
  • Takitimu ki Tahiti
  • Takitimu ki Hawaii
  • Takitimu ki Fiji
  • Takitimu ki Tonga
  • Takitimu ki Samoa
The whakawhanaungatanga of our people has been maintained dating back generations and will continue to be nurtured into the future.
Umuumu’ia te mou o te marama e te aroa, umeia te marokura, toku atamira no Takitumu!

On 30th November 2020, an MOU was signed between Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu and Te Vaka o Takitumu at Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu site, Hastings.

The signing of the MOU was significant that it formally acknowledged the relationship between the Takitumu people of Rarotonga under the guidance of Te Whare Ariki o Takitumu and the whānau at Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu who have maintained the perpetuation of Takitimu mātauranga for over 38 years.

On 1st August 2021, a dawn ceremony hosted by the Takitumu people in Rarotonga launched the Te Vānanga Are Tapere o Takitumu at the Takitumu Palace, Rarotonga. A contingent of 36 whānau members from Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu representing the Kahungunu Kaumatua, Kura Kaupapa, Kohanga reo, Kahurangi NZ Māori Dance Company and Ngāti Ranginui travelled to Rarotonga to celebrate this occasion alongside Te Vaka o Takitumu and Cook Island representatives of Government.

The launch was later sealed with the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between Te Vaka o Takitumu and Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu representatives.

In 2022, Te Vānanga Are Tapere o Takitumu will commence the delivery of their first Teritary level programmes that will help to revitalise, the language, arts, culture and heritage of the Cook Island people. This will be the first cultural arts programme for the Cook Island people and is supported by the Cook Island Government.