Kianu Enoka-Rupapera (Ngāruahine), who won a EIT Year 13 Scholarship last year, is enjoying studying at Toihoukura – EIT’s School of Māori Art and Design on the Tairāwhiti Campus.

Kianu, 18, who grew up in Auckland and went to school at Western Springs College, Ngā Puna O Waiōrea in Auckland, is enrolled in his first year of Te Toi o Ngā Rangi, Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts at Toihoukura.

Growing up, Kianu says he was always interested in art, especially Māori art.

“What drove me to want to go to Toihoukura was that art at high school was really mainstream, and I didn’t really have any platform to release all my Māori art. An old tutor of mine at Waiōrea urged me to go down there.”

He heard about EIT’s Year 13 Scholarship and decided to apply.

The Year 13 Scholarship covers one year of tuition fees including any course related costs which have been approved to be included as part of the scholarship. When combined with the Government Fees Free initiative, Year 13 Scholarship recipients are studying fees-free for the first two years of their degree.

“I decided to try my luck for the scholarship and getting it has certainly taken a lot of unnecessary financial stress off me.”

Having left his whānau back in Auckland, Kianu is now adjusting to living in Gisborne.

“At first it was difficult being on my  own, but now I have made some close friends and also have time to focus on my art.”

He says one of the highlights of the programme so far has been an exhibition that he and his classmates entered in Otaki.

“It was Matariki-based and most of the people in my year, including me, did not see it as a hard job, we are just privileged to be working in this environment.”

Kianu is enjoying drawing and painting at the moment and would love to be a Māori Art teacher after he finishes his three-year-degree.

For now he enjoys soaking up the atmosphere at Toihoukura.

“I have definitely learnt a lot within the first six months, and I think it’s just amazing that we’ve got three years to go,” says Kianu.