Wetini Herewini

Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāti Porou

Pūkenga for Heke and Poutuarongo Whare Tapere Programmes 

Te Wānanga o Raukawa will be offering the Heke and Poutuarongo Whare Tapere (Diploma and Bachelor of Literary Performing Arts) programmes in 2024 after being in recess for a few years, and the pūkenga (lecturer) will be Wetini Herewini. 



Wetini’ iwi are Te Whānau a Apanui and Ngāti Porou, his hapū is Te Whānau a Kaiaio, and his marae is  Maungaroa. He grew up in Wellington where he and his whānau were part of the Ngāti Pōneke Young Māori Club. There his enthusiasm for kapa haka was kindled. He has been part of Ngāti Pōneke kapa haka on and off his whole life. He has also performed with all the kapa haka rōpū of Te Whānau a Apanui. He started with Tauira mai Tawhiti in 2006. This rōpū was led by Vicky Demant, and Leanne and Warrick Morehu. He then performed with Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau a Apanui under Rikirangi Gage, Hōne Wharepapa, Rob Ruha and Tāmati Waaka and performed at Te Matatini o Te Rā in 2011, and then with Te Whānau a Tūtawake.  Wetini saw performing with the different rōpū as an opportunity to learn the various haka styles and learn under many great kapa haka leaders. As well as kapa haka, he learnt kōrero tuku iho, whakapapa, and about building whanaungatanga. In Wellington, he has performed with Ngāti Pōneke and Ngā Uri o Tamarau before starting his own rōpū, Te Kapa Haka o Pukehuia in 2017.  

In 2016 Wetini enrolled into the Heke Whare Tapere programme with Te Wānanga o Raukawa as part of a co-hort formed from members of Ngāti Pōneke Māori Arts. The tutor was Ray Paul Peeti, however the co-hort discontinued the following year, so Wetini continued his studies with the programme at the Ōtaki campus. He graduated with the degree, the Poutuarongo Whare Tapere in 2018.

Following his graduation Wetini joined the staff of Te Wānanga o Raukawa in 2019 as a pūkenga within the area of te reo Māori, teaching at hui rumaki reo and online via Mūrau (Moodle). 

Living in Taitoko with his partner Tomairangi Pahina and their three tamariki Kawharu, Te Puna Oraka and Wetini paku, Wetini is close enough to mahi and his tamariki are close to their kura and kōhanga. His eldest is six and attends kura at Te Kura ā Iwi o Whakatupuranga Rua Mano, and the younger ones attend Tū Roa Kōhanga Reo. Wetini and his partner met through their mutual love of kapa haka. They are raising their tamariki to also love kapa haka. 

Wetini is looking forward to the challenge of being the pūkenga for the Heke and Poutuarongo Whare Tapere programmes. He has been working closely with others to ensure the refreshed programmes are contemporised. The refreshed tohu have retained various components of the original tohu while incorporating new components. His advice to those contemplating enrolling is, “Haere mai, haere mai ki Te Wānanga o Raukawa, ki Te Whare Tapere, ki te whare i whakatūria e ngā mātua tūpuna. Kia whakapūmautia ngā mahi whakangahau e tātou ki te poi ki te haka ki te waiata, kia kawea tātou e te rēhia.”   

For more information about these programmes visit https://www.wananga.com/bachelor-of-literary-performing-arts and https://www.wananga.com/diploma-in-literary-performing-arts