2022 Ngarimu VC & 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships award ceremony

For the first time in its 77-year history, the Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship award ceremony was held out of Wellington. Typically held at Parliament, this year, the ceremony was held at Te Whare Rūnanga, Waitangi Treaty Grounds, in Te Tai Tokerau on Friday 10 June 2022.

Awardees waiting for the Pōwhiri to start and enter the marae.

The Waitangi Treaty Grounds were chosen as an acknowledgement of Sir Apirana Ngata and the seminal speech he gave to members of the 28th (Māori) Battalion before they departed for World War II. 

The Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships are awarded annually to exceptional Māori students undertaking tertiary or vocational education and training, and who demonstrate characteristics that align with the values of the 28th (Māori) Battalion.

This year’s awards were presented by Associate Minister of Education (Māori) Hon Kelvin Davis, Willie Apiata VC, and Sir Robert Gillies, the last surviving member of the 28th (Māori) Battalion. 

Ten ākonga Māori received scholarships and three secondary school students won the Ngarimu video competition for 2022. The award ceremony was an opportunity for whānau to celebrate the recipients’ success and hear about their aspirations for the future. 

A new video taonga display unit was also launched at Te Rau Aroha Museum – Waitangi Treaty Grounds to showcase the Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion video competition taonga. This taonga will also house the names and whakapapa of all scholarship winners over time. 

The new video taonga is housed in the legacy room at Te Rau Aroha within the Price Citizenship, Te Utu o Te Kiriraraunga exhibition. This taonga was blessed by Bishop Te Kitohi Pikaahu and unveiled by the Honourable Hekia Parata as a tribute to her late husband, Tā Wira Gardiner. This was a significant part of the day as Tā Wira was last year’s recipient of the prestigious Manakura Award and also wrote both the history of B company entitled Ake Ake Ake Kia Kaha E! and a definitive book on the 28th (Māori) Battalion. 

The videos created by ākonga from Hato Pāora and Te Kura Mana Māori o Whangaparāoa will be displayed along with the competition winners from previous years.

Videos

The 2022 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships was livestreamed and recorded.

Watch the 2022 award presentation - YouTube(external link)

Watch the launch of the new video taonga display unit - YouTube(external link)

2021/2022 scholarship winners

Find out more about the 2021/2022 scholarship winners.

Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships recipients 

Video award competition winners

2022/2023 scholarships

2022/2023 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship applications are now open!

Key dates for the 2022/2023 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships:

  • Tertiary Scholarships opened on 22 June and close on 17 August 2022.
  • Vocational Education and Training Scholarships opened on 22 June and close on 9 September 2022.
  • The Ngarimu Video Competition for secondary schools and wharekura students opened on 22 June and close on 9 September 2022.

Find out more about these prestigious scholarships at Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships

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