Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi to celebrate graduation day

Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi graduands will have a day of celebrations this Friday. Photo/File

More than 200 Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi graduands will receive their degrees and certificates during a formal graduation ceremony to be held in Whakatane on Friday.

The graduands are from the more than 1300 students from throughout Aotearoa who will graduate from Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi this year.

Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi chief executive Wiremu Doherty said the ceremony was a major highlight for the institution, the community, and especially for the whanau and friends who will come to support their loved ones and their achievement.

"The ceremony marks the culmination of much hard work and sacrifice by each graduand. It is an absolute pleasure and honour to be able to share in their celebrations and success at the ceremony," he said.

More than 600 iwi representatives, staff, students and their whanau and supporters, academics and national and regional government officials will attend the day-long celebrations at Te Manuka Tutahi Marae in Whakatane.

Graduation will begin at 8am with a powhiri at the marae, followed at 10am by the annual Gown and Town Hikoi from Mitchell Park Reserve through the centre of Whakatane to Te Manuka Tutahi.

The now traditional procession along The Strand has become a highlight of the day's events with hundreds of well wishers lining the street to perform haka and cheer on the formal parade of students, academic staff and Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi council members in academic regalia.

The formal capping ceremony begins at 11am.

A number of special awards will be made, including the presentation of an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) in Maori Development to master navigator and waka builder Hekenukumai Puhipi (Hector Busby) of Te Rarawa, Ngati Kuri and Ngati Kahu.

The honorary doctorate acknowledges outstanding academic achievement and endeavour over a lifetime.

Hekenukumai Busby is recognised internationally as a leading figure in the revival of ancient Polynesian navigation and ocean voyaging techniques using the movement of the elements, stars, moon and birds as navigational tools.

He has built more than 30 vessels and continues to make a significant contribution to waka construction, voyaging and navigation throughout the Pacific.