Scholarship duration: 1 year

Brigham is studying towards a Bachelor of Communication at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. He has previously worked for the Māori Indigenous Health Innovation at Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou | Otago University where he led the communication plan for Māori in Te Waipounamu | South Island during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brigham is the eldest of five children and enjoys watching rugby with his pāpā and younger brother. He is also pursuing rugby as a professional career.

Brigham says being raised in a whānau that cherishes te reo Māori me ōna tikanga has been one of his biggest blessings in life and has led him to pursue his goals and aspirations,

“I am humbled and grateful to be able to receive such a prestigious award from the Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Board.”

He says that the scholarship will help with his studies and with living costs but that he believes the mana and honour of receiving this award is more valuable, as well as the relationships that come with it.

Scholarship duration: 1 year

Varron is studying a Bachelor of Arts at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | University of Waikato and is working towards a double major in Te Reo Māori and Indigenous Studies.

A former pupil at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Taumārere in Moerewa, Varron says he is fortunate to be receiving such a prestigious award that honours the 28th (Māori) Battalion.

Ko tā te kupu whakaari a Kawiti, “E te whānau, i te pākanga ahau ki te Atua i te pō, heoi kīhai ahau i mate, nā reira, takahia te riri ki raro i ō koutou waewae. Kia ū ki te whakapono, he poai Pākehā koutou i muri nei. Waiho kia kakati te namu ki te whārangi o te pukapuka, hei konei ka tahuri atu ai. Kei takahia e koutou ngā papa pounamu a ō koutou tūpuna e takoto nei. Titiro atu ki ngā taumata o te moana, ka hua mai i reira he ao hou.”

E waimarie ana tēnei te tū hei hokanga manutaki ki tēnei ope rua tekau mā waru, ko au ki raro, ko whakaiti kei runga. Tihei Mauri Ora.

Scholarship duration: 3 years

Maia is studying a Bachelor of Arts at Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University and is working towards a double major in International Relations and Te Reo Māori.

She is a former student of Tōku Māpihi Maurea Kura Kaupapa Māori and Hillcrest High School in Kirikiriroa | Hamilton.

Maia says the scholarship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that allows her to further her academic and professional journey. She believes the Ngarimu VC scholarship will aid her in excelling in mainstream academia and will empower her to further succeed as a young wahine Māori,

“To be able to serve and represent my tīpuna in our ever-evolving world is a privilege in itself.”

“Not only does this scholarship pay homage to the rangatira Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwi Ngarimu, it is also a symbol of remembrance for the hundreds of Māori men, such as my Great Uncle, who served, fought, and died as members of the 28th Māori Battalion.”

She says it is a great honour for her to join the prestigious rōpū of past, present, and future Ngarimu VC scholarship recipients.

Ko te pae tawhiti, whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata, whakamaua kia tina.

Scholarship duration: 2 years

Anaru is studying a Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership at the Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury.

He is a former Head Prefect of Tauranga Boys’ College and a graduate of Social Sciences in Māori & Indigenous Studies and Political Science from Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | University of Waikato.

Anaru says he is honoured to be a recipient of the 2023 Ngarimu VC Masters Scholarship. He says the award serves as an enabler of immense opportunity that he welcomes with gratitude and purpose,

“The scholarship will benefit me greatly in alleviating the financial pressures of studying.”

“In honour of the 28th Māori Battalion, I am compelled to uphold the legacy they leave behind, champion pride in my identity, and be a leader within the spaces and capacities that nurture my academic and personal potential.”

Kātahi rā te hōnore ko te whiwhi i tēnei karahipi. Arā ko tāna he whakamana ake i a au kia rapu tonu i te pae tawhiti - taku waimaria nei ko ngā ara wātea mōku kua puāwai. Ka mutu ko te karahipi ka whakangāwari ake i te āhuatanga o te utu me te whai pūtea.

He mana nui tō te karahipi nei kua whakatōkia mai. Kei warewaretia te ope taua a Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū, ko tāku kē he whakairi ake tonu i tōna whakamaumaharatanga, he tū whakahīhī i tōku tuakiri, me te tū rangatira kei ngā wāhi e kaha poipoi ana i tōku pitomata ā-mātauranga, ā-whaiaro anō hoki. Ko te ao Māori tōku ao. Me tiaki ka tika. Tēnā rā tātou katoa.

Scholarship duration: 1 year

Victoria is studying a Master of Architecture (Professional) at Te Pūkenga | Unitec Institution of Technology. Her research question is How can the design of an architecture campus reflect tangata whenua values and our location within Aotearoa and Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa?

She is passionate about her research and says she feels a responsibility to pave the way for a more diverse representation in architecture,

“The Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial scholarship will assist me on my journey to becoming a registered architect.”

Victoria says the profession is a huge responsibility and there must be a priority on sustainability and applying Mātauranga Māori to mitigate the impact that our building industry has on our environment,

“My research project will include the design of a campus that connects our architectural education with the environment. The intention of this research project is to inspire transformative change that will enable tomorrow's architects (Māori, Pacific, and Tauiwi) to create an environmentally and culturally safe built future.”

Scholarship duration: 2 years

Tenaya is studying a Master of Teaching and Learning at Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou | University of Otago.

She is a former pupil of Marsden State High School in Brisbane, Australia and is currently a kaiāwhina part time at Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou | University of Otago.

Tenaya says the scholarship will lessen the burden of another student loan and allow her to complete what she has always wanted to do, taking everything she has learnt throughout her years and passing it on to younger generations.

She is grateful to be receiving the scholarship and says she will benefit from it immensely, “to be given this opportunity means a lot not only to me but also my whānau.”

Scholarship duration: 2 years

Julian is completing a Doctor of Philosophy in Indigenous studies at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

His thesis topic is: ‘Te ara a Kupe: Te haerenga mai a Kupe ki Aotearoa’.

Julian says there are many benefits to receiving such a prestigious award. He says this will allow him to focus on his research and to meet with others to discuss and gather information about Kupe.

“This scholarship pays tribute to the legacy of the 28^th (Māori) Battalion and honours Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu.”

He says he is humbled to follow in the footsteps of previous scholarship recipients, some of which are members of his whānau.

Arā noa atu ngā painga ka hua i tēnei whiwhinga āku ki te karahipi rongonui nei. He āwhina nui ki te whakatutuki i āku mahi rangahau, me tāku noho tahi/kōrero tahi ki ngā pūkākā o te motu, o te ao, e pā ana ki a Kupe.

Ka whakamaharatia ngā mahi a Te Rōpū o Te Rua Tekau Mā Waru. Nō reira, e pupuke ana te ngākau whakaute i tēnei whakawhiwhinga, e whakamānawa ana i te toa mārohirohi nei o Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu. Me taku mōhio iho, e aruaru ana ahau i ētahi o ōku mātua i whakawhiwhia ki tēnei karahipi i roto i ngā tau. E nui ana a roto. Ka nui te mihi ki te whānau o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu".

Scholarship duration: 1 year

Logan is studying towards a Commercial Pilots Licence at Te Mana Rererangi Tūmatanui o Aotearoa | Civil Aviation Authority.

He is also a former pupil of Te Kura Tamatāne o Whakatū | Nelson Boys’ College. Logan says he, along with his whānau, feel extremely humbled to be receiving this award. He knows his Nan who recently passed would be extremely proud of him,

“I would like to dedicate this achievement to my nan and to my three Grand-Uncles who served in the 28th Māori Battalion. I also want to dedicate this award to my pāpā who served in the Merchant Navy during World War II.”

Logan is working towards a Private Pilot Licence with an end goal of gaining his Commercial Pilots Licence. He says to achieve his goal he is working full time at the Port in Whakatū | Nelson, the gateway to Te Tauihu and although this provides him with an opportunity to limit costs of a student loan, it also impacts on the number of flying hours he can achieve each week,

“This scholarship will provide me an opportunity to increase my flying hours as I continue towards achieving my dream. It will also support me to remain committed to the associated studies required.”

“Being recognised as a Māori individual with similar characteristics to my Nan’s uncles, who served in the 28th Māori Battalion, is an honour and a privilege. I will continue to ensure that I uphold and maintain these values as I reach for the skies working towards completing my Commercial Pilot Licence.”

Scholarship duration: 1 year

Renay is studying towards a Diploma in Te Tohu Paetahi at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | University of Waikato.

A former pupil and Head Girl at Melville High School in Kirikiriroa | Hamilton. Renay is now an Assistant Principal at Whakatāne High School with over 20 years’ experience in secondary education. Renay says she has an interest in creating a better future for our rangatahi Māori that enhances identity and culture,

“This prestigious scholarship enables me to follow my dream of learning te reo Māori and strengthen my own leadership as a wahine Māori without the worry of a student loan.”

“I dedicate this scholarship to my Uncle Oki who served in the 28th Māori Battalion. I am humbled to be a descendant of such greatness and the legacy of perseverance he and the many other soldiers left our generations to continue.”

He nui ngā hua o tēnei karahipi mō ngā tauira Māori, e whai ana i tā rātou iti kahurangi. He tino āwhina te pūtea tautoko nei. Neke atu i te rima tekau tau tēnei karapihi e tautoko ana i ngā tauira Māori i roto i ā rātou akoranga. Nō reira, ka angitu ngā tauira Māori hei kaihautū mō te ao hou. Ko te mea nui o tēnei karahipi, kia maumahara tonu tātou ki te mana motuhaketanga o ō tātou tīpuna i whawhai i roto i Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū, ā, me te kōkiri whakamua pērā i a rātou mō ō tātau whānau, ō mātau hapū, ō mātau iwi anō hoki.

Scholarship duration: 1 year

Stuart is studying Te Reo Māori Level 5 and 6 in a Diploma in Māori Language Fluency at Te Wānanga Takiura o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa.

A former student of Excellere College in Whangārei he says receiving a scholarship will allow him more time to be fully immersed in te ao Māori me ngā tikanga Māori while also looking for ways to support others on their own journey of tuakiritanga,

“It is incredibly humbling and surreal to be a Ngarimu scholarship award recipient. I recognise that it is the sacrifices of our tūpuna who served in the 28^th Māori Battalion that have led me to receive this award.”

Nō reira, in the memory of Second Lieutenant Ngarimu and my tupuna, Major Rangi Logan, I will continue to persevere in my haerenga to reclaim my identity and the language of my ancestors.”