Tuesday 12 February 2019 12:29pm
(From left) Inano Walter, Ella Walsh and Jovan Mokaraka-Harris
Our tauira are in safe hands says outgoing Division of Humanities’ Kaiāwhina Māori – Māori Student Support Officer Ana Rangi.
Ana, who is of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Koata descent and originally hails from Christchurch, started in the role in late 2008.
Ana Rangi at her farewell event.
An early highlight was performing the Humanities waiata (composed by Professor Poia Rewi) together with Dr Graeme Downes (Music) at a Māori pre-graduation ceremony; she has since enjoyed providing support and guidance to hundreds of the Division’s tauira.
“Despite being here for so long, and feeling far less like an ‘aunty’ and more like a kuia, I have always loved being part of the Humanities whānau. Our tauira are so diverse and vibrant, as are our staff,” she says.
Ana is moving to Health Science to join the Māori Health Workforce Development Unit and is looking forward to being part of a new team and tackling new challenges.
Division of Humanities Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Tony Ballantyne says Ana has been an “amazing Kaiāwhina Māori for the Division for almost a decade.”
“She has been deeply dedicated to supporting our tauira and she has worked so positively with our academic staff as well. We will miss Ana and we wish her good luck in her new role in Health Sciences.
“I am excited about having Jovan and Ella working together to take up these responsibilities. They have settled in very quickly and they both are very student-centred, as Ana was. But they also bring their own experiences and perspectives to the role and it is going to be great to see how having a team will enhance the support we can provide to Humanities tauira.”
The Kaiāwhina Māori role will be jointly filled by Jovan Mokaraka-Harris and Ella Walsh.
Jovan Mokaraka-Harris
Kia ora mai tātou,
Niniwa ki te raki, Arai Te Uru ki te tonga.
Ko te Whīkiti o Tupoto nga pae maunga.
E rere mai nga uaua i roto i Te Awanui o Hokianga.
He uri au no ērā hapori arā ko Jovan James Mokaraka-Harris tōku ingoa.
Sharing my role with Ella, I am very humbled to be one of two Kaiāwhina Māori within the Division of Humanities.
I am currently in the first year of my Geography PhD. Throughout postgraduate studies my research background and interests have revolved around indigenous geographies and how both indigenous political and knowledge structures have changed overtime and impacted indigenous aspirations and development. Ella and I are both here to support humanities tauira (students) and to tautoko their academic studies and journey through university.
Ella Walsh
Ko Ngāpuhi tōku iwi.
No Tāmaki Makaurau ahau, engari kei Ōtepōti tōku kāinga.
Ko Ella Walsh tōku ingoa.
I am very privileged to be starting in the new role alongside Jovan. At the moment I am finishing my dissertation as required for my Masters of Indigenous Studies (MIndS). My research looks at my own whānau as a case study to see how our Māori identity has changed over three generations. I look forward to meeting all of the different staff around campus and engaging with our first-year tauira in a couple of weeks.
Inano Walter, Pacific Support Island Students’ Support Officer
For the past year Inano Walter has been the Divisions’ Pacific Support Island Students’ Support Officer.
Prior to accepting the role a year ago I was completing my MA in History. I’m excited to be returning in 2019 with increased hours with the aim of strengthening student engagement and – as part of our new transition programme – working alongside Kaiāwhina Ella and Jovan.
I enjoy helping students and connecting them with various support services available on campus – and in some cases students may not know these resources exist. Seeing students go on to postgraduate studies is always a highlight for me in this role.”