The opportunity to help foster educational opportunities for rangatahi is what ultimately propelled Matanuku Mahuika to accept an appointment on the Dilworth School Trust Board, announced today.
“I’ll admit I wasn’t certain about whether I wished to do so or not, but learning more about Dilworth, its kaupapa and how it provides scholarships to a lot of Māori and Pacific Islands kids, who might not otherwise get access to the standard of education it provides, became a really easy decision.”
Dilworth Trust is one of the country’s largest educational charities in the country providing full scholarships to around 600 boys, from 8 years to 18 years of age, across three campuses. Its kaupapa is to support students whose family circumstances, for a range of reasons, may limit their access to the opportunities they need to realise their full potential.
“The idea of supporting the growth in educational opportunities for our young people is an important thing. That’s part of how we change the circumstances for our people,” said Mahuika, of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Raukawa descent.
He acknowledges the school, and the Trust, has faced challenges in recent years, at the hands of ‘people who should have known better’. He says his own faith and understanding of the Hāhi will help guide his mahi on the board as it works to rebuild the school’s reputation and assure whānau it is a safe and trusted place for their children’s education.
“The idea of faith, the passion in how you deal with and treat people, I’m talking about those who are victims of that behaviour and who have suffered life altering experiences, that perspective is important when dealing with a redress process and trying to find a way forward.”
Dilworth Board Chair, Jonathon Mason is delighted by the experience Mahuika will bring to the board.
“Matanuku brings a depth of expertise that complements what is a strong, diverse, and future-focused Board, and the right governance credentials to help drive the delivery of equitable outcomes for our students and their communities.”
The Dilworth Trust appointment is just one involving Matanuku Mahuika. He was recently confirmed as the Chancellor for Te Rūnanganui o Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa, a natural progression of mahi he had been undertaking with Te Pīhopatanga in recent years.
“When the term of the previous Chancellor came to an end, Archbishop Don Tamihere asked if I would step into the role and I said I would. The motivations are the same [as for undertaking other work for the hāhi] in the sense that faith, the role of the Church, and the role of spirituality in general is important to our people.
“It’s important that institutions that promote and sustain our communities are themselves supported to thrive.”
Raised in Te Hāhi Mihinare through faithful witness of his father, Rev. Dr. Apirana Tuahae Kaukapakapa Mahuika, and a Mihinare whakapapa that dates back to arrival of the Gospel into the Waiapu Valley, Matanuku says serving the hāhi, God and ultimately his communities is a natural pathway, summed up in the eternal whakatauāki of Sir Apirana Ngata, E tipu, e rea.
“When I think of that, it speaks to those different parts of us, the things we have to do in life, making sure we remain connected to te ao Māori me ngā tikanga Māori, and making sure we remember the spiritual side is a very important part of what makes a Māori person, and the hāhi in Ngāti Porou is central to that. It is an easy thing to continue.”