After more than two decades away from te reo Māori, Antony Ruru returned to study at EIT Tairāwhiti and rediscovered his language and culture.
Antony (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Nga Ariki Kaiputahi, Ngāti Porou), who works as a Senior Advisor Community Readiness and Recovery in Gisborne, says returning to study at EIT helped him reconnect with te reo Māori.
Antony Ruru, who completed a Bachelor of Arts (Māori) at EIT, now works as a Senior Advisor in Community Readiness and Recovery at Fire and Emergency New Zealand in Gisborne.
Although he grew up speaking te reo Māori at home, the 40-year-old spent more than two decades after leaving school focused on trades and music, with little time for te reo Māori.
“I had done nothing for like 20 plus years. And then I just decided one day that I wanted to get back into that side.”
Encouraged by a friend already studying at EIT and his whānau, he decided to visit Te Whatukura.
Though he was initially hesitant to walk through the door.
“Just as I grabbed the door handle, I said, ‘oh nah’, and walked back to the car. I walked back again and went to grab the door and walked back to the car. Just as I went back the third time, the door opened from the inside and Kaiako Angela Tibble said, ‘oh kia ora, do you want to come in?’”
Antony began with the NZ Certificate in Te Reo me ōna Tikanga (Level 4) before quickly progressing through the Bachelor of Arts (Māori), completing the degree between 2015 and 2017.
“Studying at Te Whatukura was one of the best journeys I’ve had—truly one of the highlights of my life.”
Returning to study gave him the space to build on the foundation he had carried with him since childhood.
“It had been a long break, but coming into the whare and seeing the smiling faces, it just really uplifted me. Also, for myself as a student, I found how easy and approachable the lecturers were.”
Following his studies, Antony went on to teach te reo Māori me ōna Tikanga at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa for five years before moving into Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).
In his current role, he works with communities, schools, hapū, iwi, and marae to educate and support fire safety and emergency preparedness.
He says the values he learned through his studies at Te Whatukura sit alongside the teachings he received from his nanny and papa, forming a strong foundation that continues to guide his work today.
“It is still about utilising our tikanga and te reo kaupapa and instilling those values into the work we do.”
He adds that Te Whatukura provided a space where students could grow in confidence and deepen their connection to te ao Māori.
“The safe space created at Te Whatukura and EIT enabled that to flourish.”
Eight years on from graduating, Antony still returns each year for hākari with former classmates and lecturers.
“You make lifelong friends. Even if you do not have whānau here or you are studying alone, the relationships always find you.”
For those wanting to learn te reo Māori and tikanga in a safe and supportive environment, Antony often shares a whakataukī from his lecturer Joe Pihema: “Me patua te taniwha o whakamā ki waho!”
“Kick shyness out the door and come along to Te Whatukura today.”
Angela Tibble, Programme Co-ordinator and Lecturer, Te Uranga Waka, says Antony’s journey shows the ripple effect of Māori education.
“When one tauira reclaims te reo and tikanga, that knowledge flows back into whānau, workplaces and communities. As a programme, our greatest measure of success is seeing graduates use what they’ve learned to serve others with confidence, purpose and aroha. Ka nui te mihi ki a koe Ants, e rere!”