Congratulations to the 17 the Kāhui Kahurangi (applicants) who were selected on 21 July 2024 to start the training programme in 2025.  While they do not start officially as SET 1 trainees until 2025, their first Training Weekend will be in Whangarei in November and as SET 0 Kāhui Kahurangi they are NZOA Trainees.

Congratulations to:

Andrew Kim, Anshuman Gupta, Chris Ling, Connor Fitz-Gerald, Dan Goddard-Hodge, Ezra Nordstrom, Jack Hanlon, Jaeha Lee, Jon Bartlett, Keith Lee, Kelsey Rao, Kyla Matenga, Naji Ghamri, Nick Keddell, Sam Choi, Tanushk Martyn, and Tom Hoffman, joined by Alex Boyle who was selected in 2023 but deferred to 2025.

Interview day began with the mihi whakatau, the sound of the Pūmoana (conch shell) followed by the NZOA Kaikaranga, Dr Mairarangi Haimona who called and invited the Te Kāhui Kahurangi to make their way upstairs.  The Kaikaranga, for the Kāhui Kahurangi, was Kyla Matenga, Ngāti Toa, who called in response. 

The NZOA Cultural Advisor, mātua Ken Te Tau began with a whaikōrero (oratory) concluding with the waiata Haere mai.  Kaikōrero Ezra Nordstrom then spoke on behalf of the Kāhui Kahurangi concluding with the waiata Te Aroha. The final speaker for the NZOA was mātua John Mutu-Grigg, Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa then stood and spoke concluding with the waiata Tūtira mai.