Te Maori: Trust lands offered for tertiary course

Eric Haycock

A local Maori trust has collaborated with a tertiary institute to offer a free horticulture course.

Te Huirua Ahuwhenua Trust is providing 14.5ha of land at Horohoro as the training grounds for the National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 2) taught by Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). The six-month course will start on July 14 with enrolments being accepted now.

Trust co-chairwoman Waereti Tait said the trust was approached by the Wintec's team manager of horticulture, Eric Haycock, last month to use their block as the site to teach students.

"We saw it as an opportunity for members of our extended whanau to become involved in education and they could be the future managers of this block so it was getting our whanau interested in gaining these skills.

"We also wanted to encourage others in Rotorua to gain a qualification in this area," Mrs Tait said.

She said the trust would also benefit from the knowledge Wintec would provide.

"We have a vision of sustainability for our papakainga. We are looking at ways to grow, recover it from some toxic sites on the land.

"We want to look at coming off the grid, be energy self-sufficient and Wintec has that knowledge," she said.

The trust has been preparing its block for the students, which included repairs to its building and toilet and repairing pot holes in the road.

"It's been hard work and everyone has volunteered. We do have a small amount of funding, but it's mainly been about linking other expertise who the skills to help and they've been really fabulous. Also the goodwill from our rangatahi (young people) who want to be involved and have access to a learning institute like Wintec is great."

The course is an introduction to horticulture but will also delve into areas such as health and safety, operating a chainsaw and fencing.

"If they can complete this course they will be able to enter the Waiariki [Institute of Technology] level 3 and 4 in horticulture."

For more information or to enrol, contact Bev on (0800) 294 6832, or Eric 021 814 597.