National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries
Life at NICAI
As well as all the social, cultural and sporting activities available on campus to all NICAI students, there are some places especially designed to welcome Māori and Pacific students and offer you a home away from home.
School of Music students jamming during a break in their studies.
As a NICAI student, you will love the lively atmosphere and diverse student community on campus. Enjoy live music performances in the City Campus Quad and the School of Music; drama, dance productions and other events at the Maidment Theatre; outstanding exhibitions by established artists at Gus Fisher Gallery; exhibitions by emerging talent from Elam School of Fine Arts at the George Fraser Gallery and projectspaceB431.
If sport or fitness is your thing, head for the Campus Recreation Centre. It has a well-equipped sports hall, studios and training rooms, a climbing wall and an assortment of group fitness classes such as aerobics, salsa, yoga and Pilates. Or you could join one of the many sports and social clubs – baseball, basketball, canoeing, cricket, martial arts, netball, snow sports, rugby, tennis and tramping, to name a few.
Singer Aivale Cole standing in front of Michael Parekowhai's work On First Looking into Chapman's Homer at the Venice Biennale 2011. Photo Credit: Michael Hall
To find out about research and cultural projects on Māori and Pacific themes, keep an eye on the Research, News and Events sections of NICAI's website. Current Māori and Pacific academic staff who are working on local, Pacific and global initiatives include Dr Michael Parekowhai, Dr Deidre Brown and Dr Te Oti Rakena.
Read about Michael Parekowhai's work at Venice Biennale 2011
View Deidre Brown's profile
View Te Oti Rakena's profile
Waipapa Marae, City Campus
The focal point for Māori student life at The University of Auckland is the University Marae, Waipapa. Located next to the Māori Studies Department at 16 Wynyard Street, it is the venue for a range of activities throughout the year. The complex was built to provide an environment for teaching and research in Māori Studies and to encourage greater Māori student attendance and participation at the University. It also provides a place where visitors can be formally welcomed to the campus.
You can arrange to visit the whare whakairo (meeting house), Tane-nui-a-Rangi. Unlike many whare whakairo on tribal marae, this house represents all major tribes.
Tāne-a-nui-a-rangi is a book explaining the symbolism of the meeting house. You can buy it from the Department of Māori Studies or the University Bookshop.
To make arrangements for visiting the Marae, contact:
Rangimarie Rawiri
c/- Māori Studies
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 87938
Email: r.rawiri@auckland.ac.nz
Hineahuone is a place where Māori students can meet, talk and eat. It's also the home of the two Māori Student Officers in the Auckland University Students Association (AUSA). Hineahuone is located on the 4th Floor of the AUSA building (off the Quad), and has places to relax, shower facilities, a kitchenette and toilet. It's worth a visit just to check out the centre's artwork, which was created by Fine Arts students and master carver Takirirangi Smith.
Contact the Maori Students’ Officers:
Toria Timoti and Maikara Painting
Phone: +64 9 309 0789 ext 375
Email: mso@ausa.org.nz
