Student action began with the likes of Tā Apirana Ngata, Te Rangihīroa, Tā Māui Pōmare and James Carroll in 1897, through to the establishment of the Young Māori Party in 1909. Although it wasn’t an official political party, it had political intentions.

In the early 1970s, We included Māori student groups Ngā Tamatoa (UOA) and the Te Reo Māori Society (VUW) who together led a petition calling for Māori language and culture to be taught in all New Zealand schools. Framed as a “gift” to both Māori and Pākehā, the petition aimed to promote a deeper sense of integration and cultural understanding.

Officially born out of the surge in political consciousness during the 1960s, several Māori protest groups emerged. Among the most articulate of these was our tuakana, The New Zealand Federation of Māori Students. The Federation was co-founded by influential figures such as Dame Whetū Tirikatene-Sullivan, who studied at Victoria University of Wellington, and Ngāpare Hopa, a student at Waipapa Taumata Rau – The University of Auckland.

Over the years, our rōpū has carried various names that reflect our evolving identity, purpose, and connection to our people. At different points in time, we have been known as Huinga Rangatahi, Ngā Toki o Aotearoa, and Manaaki Tauira. As the needs of our tauira and the political and educational landscapes shifted, so too did our structure and name. We eventually transitioned from Ngā Toki o Aotearoa to become Te Mana Ākonga