Māori and Pasifika students create connections through Te Kete Kōrero

Wintec-based magazine Te Kete Kōrero is looking to expand its audience in its sixth issue.

Te Kete Kōrero is a free student-run magazine, that focuses on Māori and Pasifika achievements, events and issues.

The publication is entering its third year and hopes to cover not only Wintec city campus students, but also Rotokauri, Hamilton Gardens, Thames, and Waihi campuses.

Media Arts kaiāwhina Emily Ranginui, who is this year’s managing editor, said: “I want it [Te Kete Kōrero] to keep growing, the audience is definitely growing and changing.”

The publication is now printing 500 copies per issue and is distributing not only on campus, but also outside Wintec to stakeholders, councils, libraries and schools.

“There was a big gap for Māori and Pasifika students, and they wanted to fill it by having their say on things, promoting positive things at Wintec, events, and acknowledging some of the really cool students we have at Wintec that get looked over,” Ranginui said.

Like students, Ranginui has many roles at Wintec. She is based at Te Kete Kōnae, which is a support service for Māori and Pasifika students, and works specifically as kaiāwhina for Media Arts students.

She is realistic about what can be achieved with the magazine.

“It is a smidgeon of my role, not my whole role. I do have to remind students because quite often they say we could do all this amazing stuff. They wanted websites and external advertisers.”

Her main role in Te Kete Kōrero is to support this year’s editor, Tessa Davies, and to co-ordinate students by setting up meetings, and making sure deadlines are met.

Originally students that contributed to Te Kete Kōrero were solely  Māori or Pasifika Media Arts students, but in the last two issues, content from non Māori and Pasifika students  has also been featured.