March 11, 2020
Headstones inspire Ngarimu scholar
A visit to Italy for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino inspired the winner of this year’s Ngarimu doctoral scholarship to dig deeper into how the war affected whānau Māori from his rohe.
Jonathan Te Rire, from Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Tuwharetoa and Te Arawa, is studying towards a Doctor of Philosophy (Māori and Indigenous Development) at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.
He says he saw many familiar whānau names from Kawerau, Maungapōhatu and Ruatāhuna in the Commonwealth War Cemetery.
The scholarship, which is worth $25,000 a year for up to two years, will allow him to collect stories of the 28th Māori Battalion members from those places who did not return home.
The Ngarimu Masters scholarships of $15,000 a year for up to two years went to Marise Stuart, Tipene James and Lee-Ann Tatana, while the undergraduate scholarships of $10,000 a year for up to five years went to Awatea Moxon, Cassiopea Harrison and Tangirau Papa.
Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu board chair Kelvin Davis says the winners of the Ngarimu and 28 Maori Battalion scholarships, created in honour of Victoria Cross winner Te Moana Nui ā Kiwa Ngarimu, are a snapshot of the diversity of Māori students pursuing higher education.
Mr Te Rire is a Presbyterian minister while Ms Papa and Ms Harrison are first-year students.
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