Vaiaio Holmes-Haweturi Holmes (third from the left in the middle row) and her whānau. Vaiaio’s family has a special connection to the University, and will all be celebrating together when Vaiaio graduates with a Bachelor of Teaching on Saturday.
Vaiaio Holmes-Haweturi (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Raurū, Ngāti Hauā ki Waikato, Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāi te Rangi, Kāi Tahu, Rabuvai, Hawea) has a special connection to the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, one she reflects on as she prepares to graduate with a Bachelor of Teaching tomorrow.
Vaiaio’s boua (grandfather) is former College of Education kaumātua, Huata Holmes, who gave the College its Māori name, Te Kura Ākau Taitoka.
“Because of boua I’ve always had a connection to Te Kura Ākau Taitoka, ever since I was a little girl. I have fond memories of coming after school to Nana and Boua’s work, where I was able to get my very specific M&Ms and a Cookie Time from the college shop,” she says.
Vaiaio was born in the Waikato and moved south as a young child to be with her Dad’s whānau and her grandparents.
“Our whānau has called Ōtepoti home for over 20 years. This whenua has bared witness to our extremely large whānau, 13 of us in total. Having a big whānau really teaches you some important life skills such as patience, empathy and whanaungatanga, skills that have helped with my studies and skills I will definitely take into my teaching career.”
Vaiaio’s inspiration to pursue a Bachelor of Teaching at Otago stems from her upbringing. Her grandparents were teachers for many years, and her parents were educators themselves.
“My parents were educators within our Māori spaces, administering our whānau ahikaa on our local marae, teaching students about our marae’s whakapapa, raranga, rongoā. I was immersed in all these educational realms right from a little girl till now, the educator's blood has been running through me and it was just time before it caught up.”
The example set by her whānau and the values they live by drives her to empower and serve others.
“My father always told me this whakataukī: ‘He mōkai mō te iwi, a servant for the people.’ And our whānau really resonates with this. It is through giving back to our community and tamariki of the next generation and teaching allows us to do this.
“Because of this, I have always felt a deep sense of obligation to follow in the footsteps of my grandparents and parents, to contribute to education in ways that promote better outcomes for our people through my own strengths and passions.”
Vaiaio has specialised in early childhood teaching, a passion of hers which comes from her experience looking after her younger siblings as they grew up.
“Coming from a big whānau, where I am seen as the second mother, I always valued the time that I got to have with my siblings in those care routines like dropping off to kindy, assisting with sleep, and teaching to brush teeth.”
Vaiaio feels a mix of emotions graduating. While she will miss the connections with her peers, colleagues and lecturers, she is excited for what the future holds, guiding the next generation and building new relationships.
“My plan for the future is to find somewhere where I can make a difference, to be able to support all tamariki but especially our tamariki Māori to feel seen, heard and proud in any setting that they step foot in. In the coming future, I plan on potentially returning for postgraduate study, but let's see how job hunting goes first.”
Vaiaio will be the first in her immediate family to graduate from University and feels a big sense of pride representing her whānau who has supported her right from the start.
“It is an extreme honour to be able to represent everyone, knowing that this is not just for myself but it's for them too.”
She was awarded a Humanities scholarship from the University, as well as being a recipient of the Teach NZ Kupe Scholarship earlier this year, which is awarded to tertiary students who are achieving academic excellence and show qualities of a future leader.
Vaiaio says the support she's received during her studies has been immense, and that it was the people at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka that made all the difference in her academic journey.
“From answering late night emails, to being a shoulder to lean on in both personal and professional lives, the lecturers in the early childhood education department’s guidance and knowledge in this field have been truly valuable and unmatched,” she says.
“I think that is the beauty of the degree in teaching, especially here in Otago, is that you get to develop these close and intimate relationships with your peers and lecturers to a point where it feels like a big whānau. Honestly, I could not have done it without such a supportive team.”