Christina Nuku

Te Tohu Toi Tangata: Bachelor of Humanities

I graduated with a double major in Indigenous Studies and Policy.  Policy underlines all work places, so the flexibility of the degree means there are many opportunities open to me.

The BHUM re-set my foundations – it changed everything. It has been a motivator for me to engage more deeply in Te Ao Māori and with our taonga tuku iho. For example, I’m learning about rongoā and the Maramataka Māori and trying to apply their principles and practices in my life. This degree changed my life in small ways, in big ways, in every way.

It was the kaiako (lecturers) who made the BHUM so unique for me. I tried to study at a mainstream university but it became overwhelming and there wasn’t the support network, so I pulled out. The difference at Awanuiārangi is the whanaungatanga. Our kaiako cultivated a supportive and nurturing environment. They don’t sit there as professors, separate from the students – we were all whānau. You’re expected to complete the work, but they don’t abandon you if challenges come up. Whanaungatanga and manaakitanga permeate everything. They are truly committed to seeing you succeed.

Awanuiārangi sent me on a three-month indigenous knowledge exchange programme at the University of Northern British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. The exchange connected me with the Nisga’a people, First Nations tribal systems, communities and hauora programmes. It informed my studies and opened my mind. It was a genuine privilege to connect with the tangata whenua there, and an opportunity I would never otherwise have had.