A partnership between Parininihi ki Waitōtara Incorporation (PKW) and the Bashford-Nicholls Trust will enable a new scholarship to be offered as part of the 50 year legacy celebrations for PKW. The scholarship will be launched in November 2025 as a permanent addition to the scholarships already offered through both organisations. The scholarship will be managed by Te Rau Manawaora PKW Trust and funded through the Bashford-Nicholls Trust which is managed by the Bishop’s Action Foundation (BAF).
For PKW “the Rau te Tai Akina Scholarship honours the intergenerational foundations that have sustained our people and looks forward to support and enable those who will carry that legacy with purpose.”
For the Bashford-Nicholls Trust funding this scholarship continues a journey of rebuilding whenua based partnership, enabling outcomes that better balance land use and te taiao and recognising the ongoing impact of the raupatu that continues to affect our region.
The scholarship supports ākonga who are deeply connected to Taranakitanga and who pursue excellence in education as a pathway to strengthening whānau, hapū, and iwi. It reflects a shared commitment to nurturing leadership guided by whakapapa, whenua, and intergenerational responsibility. The Rau te Tai Ākina Scholarship will be formally launched at the Parihaka AGM 14 November, anchoring this milestone initiative in history, whenua, and collective aspiration.
Pictured at PKW’s 50th anniversary celebration are Mary Bourke (Chair of BAF and Bashford-Nicholls Trust), Simon Cayley (Chief Executive of BAF and the Bashford-Nicholl Trust) and Jo Weise (Manager of The Wheelhouse at BAF).