Te Rōpū Māori

University of Otago

Te Roopū Māori is the Māori Students' Association at the University of Otago.

Our association is governed by the student executive Te Rito, who are elected by tauira every year.

As a political body we strive to represent Māori student interests in the University, but our ultimate aim is to create a kāinga rua, a home away from home on campus. We run many events across the year ranging from social sports, kapa haka, Te Hokai our annual Māori ball, te reo classes, Marae trips, study nights and numerous social activities.

Te Roopū Māori emerged from the need to provide a social network of support for Māori students at Otago University and as a vehicle to advance tino rangatiratanga within the context of tertiary education. Over the past three or four decades Te Roopū Māori grew from a kapa haka group in the 1960’s into an incorporated society in the mid-1990’s with three basic aims: recruitment, retention and results for Māori students. Essentially it means the advancement of Māori through the halls of academia in every area of science, health science, commerce and humanities.

Heoi anō, he mihi tēnei ki a rātou mā, ngā tipua kua pahure ake, rātou i whakarauika rā i runga anō i ngā momo kaupapa e pā ana ki tēnei roopū o te whare wānanga o Otago.