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 Joanne Porourangi
Ngāti Porou/
Ngāti Kahungunu
Have you always been interested in studying Tourism Māori?
"Yes I have - that's why I went for the interview. I've always been interested in working in this area. I think we as Māori have everything. It's about Māori representing Aotearoa as the indigenous culture and that's what's selling us out there at the moment."
What challenges did you find on this course, if any?
"Learning about the law and acts mostly. That was interesting. Just learning where Māori are coming from and what they have in common with the tourism industry."
Do you think it's harder being the first students or is it better?
"It didn't really bother me, I'd already been in MIT for 6 months. The other students were all a bit nervous at first, but we all jelled well together. I think for the younger lot having a class of older ones helped ease them into it."
What do you think is the difference between Tourism Māori and Mainstream Tourism?
"The knowledge that we learn on the course. I'm sure that they learn the basics in mainstream tourism and the history of the Treaty but we learn more from a Māori point of view. They would never know what we've learnt. We were taught by Kaumatua and people from the area."
Will this qualification benefit your iwi?
"Yes, now I can go out there and help promote my iwi. We really need to get into it. Everyone else is selling us and Māori people aren't in there. We should be selling ourselves. Our Māori people need to get into it, and start doing. There's so much to do; there's so much talent. But no one has bothered to get it out of our people, they're all hiding away. If our people just get more confidence within themselves, tourism is just so huge, and there are just so many jobs and opportunities out there."
 Tuniscia Kahu
Ngāti Ruanui/
Ngāti Tuwharetoa
Have you always wanted to study tourism?
"No, not at first, but an opening came up where I had a spare six-month slot. MIT was in the process of re-writing the course that I originally came to the institution to do."
What challenges did you find on the course, if any?
"The challenges that I found was using Māori concepts in tourism, but it made me realise that tourists do come here for Māori culture."
Do you think it's harder being the first students or is it better?
"I thought it was better because we were the first and so it was the first of everything even for the tutor. We kind of grew with her. I suppose the more the course goes on the more she'll know too."
Where do you expect this qualification to take you in the future?
"If I were to carry it on, I would hope that it would take me to employment, in particular doing something at the Auckland International Airport. I would like to do anything at the airport because every day is different, so it would be exciting to get up and go to work."
What do you think is the difference between Tourism Māori and mainstream tourism?
"The knowledge - I didn't realise how many Māori tourism sites there are here. The Māori influence in the course is about three quarters of the overall course and I doubt you'll learn the same stuff in mainstream."
Will this qualification benefit your iwi?
"It would definitely benefit where I come from. Just knowing that we do share a bond with our natural resources and everything that tourists come to New Zealand to see."
When you started studying Tourism Māori, where did you think it would lead?
"I didn't have any expectations because I was not aware of what the class had to offer. It's definitely a unique course in the sense that I don't know another place where we can learn about local places. The course pulls out places we've been to, but never knew it had a tourism concept to it and it's unique in that sense. I definitely will encourage others to do this course."
 Gina Makiha
Ngapuhi/Te Arawa
What year are you in the course?
"The Māori Tourism was a six-month course and now I've moved on to Mainstream to do my diploma in Tourism Management."
When did you decide that you wanted to study Tourism Māori?
"Well, since the Tamaki brothers kicked off their tourism venture they have been an inspiration to me. I want to run and operate my own business venture. On the course I decided that I would organise a field trip for our class to visit them, which we fundraised for ourselves. It was a great experience."
What challenges did you find on this course, if any?
"I had no challenges. I pretty much fitted in well anywhere I went. I love it here at MIT. All the staff are lovely, even the CEO who's really impressed with what we're doing with the course."
How do you think this qualification will compliment your future dreams?
"One day I want to own and operate my own tourism venture part-time, but my main goal is to teach tourism. My tutor suggested that I do the tertiary teaching qualification, so I am. I'm going to get out there and make her proud. I'm here to learn and to educate myself as to how I can promote Māori tourism and hopefully come out with positive results. I want to go all the way and do my Bachelor of Business Degree, so I can get out there and have the qualifications behind me."
What do you think is the difference between Tourism Māori and mainstream tourism?
"Māori Tourism enables us as Māori to promote our country's heritage and culture to the world. Because my father's Te Arawa I'm really proud of the fact that Rotorua are into it and doing it."
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