REO TAUIRA
Papa te whatitiri, raparapa te uira
Kapakapa tΕ« ana te rangi e iri iho nei
Nukuhia a nuku
Nukuhia a rangi
Kia wΔtea mai a Taihoronukurangi
Kia tirohia atu te uru o Tangaroa
E tΕ« mai nei hikihiki rangi
Ki te tauihu rape nui o TΔne
Heke nuku mai ngΔ iwi, heke rangi mai ngΔ iwi, huihuia mai ngΔ iwi. Mauriora ki a tΔtou ngΔ iwi nui tonu.
E ngΔ matΔwaka o te motu haere mai ki ahau, ki te Whare WΔnanga o Waikato, te pito herenga tΔngata nΕ ngΔ hau e whΔ. Ki ngΔ mana, ki ngΔ reo, ki ngΔ manu kai mΔtauranga o te motu, hakapiri mai ki tΕ kura kΔinga, e tatari nei i a koe. Hakatata mai ki te ara mΔtauranga, hei tikitiki mΕ tΕ mΔtenga. Kei ngΔ tauira o te tau rua mano rua ngΔhuru, nau mai, haere mai!
KΔti ake, nΔ wai tΔnei reo o mihi?
E kai o mata ki tΔnei taniwha nΕ Te Puna i te Ao MΔrama i hakahuatia mai rΔ anΕ e Kupe. ArΔ, ko Hokianga moana, Hokianga whenua, Hokianga tangata.
NΔ ngΔ wai o Waikato Δnei wai o Hokianga e waiora ai. Atu i te ngΔkau hakaiti, tΔnei ka mihi ki te mana whenua me te mana moana o tΔnei whare wΔnanga.
Aloha, ni hao, hola, kia orana, mΔlΕ e lelei, as-salΔmu ΚΏalaykum, tΔnΔ koutou katoa, warm greetings and welcome to Te Whare WΔnanga o Waikato, the University of Waikato.
The hundreds of you bring with you different stories of education. School leavers, mature students, returning students or those of you who may have taken a few years off. Some first generation tertiary students, some following a legacy of intergenerational study. Whatever your story is, I praise each of you for making the University of Waikato your choice of institution. Welcome to the Waikato whΔnau!
UOW is well-known for its MΔoritanga. The land we are upon is Waikato-Tainui land, and we have a King, Kiingi Tuuheitia. Our MΔori student population makes up approximately 25% of the whole student population, the highest of any University across Aotearoa. The University also boasts strong Pacific and International populations. Together with our domestic students; this is Waikato.
My role here at the University as President of WSU is to make sure you are represented, always at the table and always have a voice. The WSU as an operation exists to make sure your overall experience at our University is the best you could get. A 2019 Constitution amendment meant in 2020, the WSU board of directors consists of two new positions, a Pacific director and a director representing students at our Tauranga campus. Both recognising our inherent connectedness and student-centred mana enhancement.
As for me, a Tiriti-lead partnership protecting the mana motuhake of tangata whenua will always be at the forefront. And Tiriti-based participation of all races to ensure Tiriti principles are upheld on a daily basis. These are essential constituents of what a journey through te whare waananga o Waikato should look like.
Some advice for all of our new students (and for life in general!):
As you journey through University, remember that everything exists delicately in balance. Good energy and bad energy; feasting and starvation; head in the books and head in the clouds.
As you journey through University, think about the intergenerational impact youβre making for those who have gone before you and those who will come after.
As you journey through University, you will find at some point basic needs and security will compromise your education. Whether that be food security, housing security, health security and if youβre a student parent – child care security.
As you journey through University, the colour of your skin and the markings on them, the languages you speak and your sexual orientation should not dictate you having a barrier-free education.
As you journey through University, look after PapatΕ«Δnuku Mother Earth, Ranginui Sky Father and their children who continue to withstand our human footprint.
As you journey through University, consciously think about if your actions positively contribute to racial equity, or if rather, theyβre perpetuating racial inequity.
As you journey through University, remember that your level of service is more impressive than your level of success.
As you journey through University, remember everyday is a good day to be Indigenous.
And if youβre not Indigenous, everyday is a good day to be an ally!
All in all, welcome to Te Whare WΔnanga o Waikato, where opportunities are boundless so long as you take them. MΔ Puhimoanaariki hei mau i a koutou!