Married for 43 years, Wikitaringi and Mary Ratana have “always done everything together”, including graduating with Bachelor of Applied Social Work degrees from the Manukau Institute of Technology.
Married for 43 years, Manukau Institute of Technology graduates Wikitaringi and Mary Ratana have “always done everything together”, so achieving their Bachelor of Applied Social Work degrees in the same year is just another step in sync along their journey through life.
As two of the first batch of MIT students to achieve this degree, the husband and wife team reach the end of a seven-year educational hikoi [journey], which began by achieving the MIT Introduction to Social Services Certificate, followed by the MIT Diploma in Social Services.
This success was motivated by the Franklin County, Maramarua-based couple deciding to do something for themselves when their three tamariki [children] left home to pursue their own dreams through study and travel.
“We sent our daughter to the University of Waikato and when she graduated with her degree, before she went to Australia, she asked me: ‘Dad, what have you got’?” says Wikitaringi. “’We own our own home, cars and have good jobs’. And she asked me, ‘What tohu or education do you have?’, I said … ‘nothing’.”
Mary adds they also wanted to make a difference to others through education and “to use our qualifications to work for and with our people, and to inspire our younger generation to get an education”.
With these aims in mind, the couple sought recommendations from friends and whanau who had studied at MIT and who pointed them in the direction of Te Tari Matauranga Maori.
“Throughout our marriage we have always done everything together. We knew that studying for the first time was going to be a challenge and we needed to tautoko [support] one another on this hikoi,” says Wikitaringi.
Citing their biggest success over the years as “working together as a couple”, Wikitaringi and Mary supported each other through moments of self-doubt, while pushing themselves from assignment to assignment, learning new technologies and research methods, before successfully completing their diplomas in 2003.
Once they had achieved their diplomas, MIT launched the Bachelor of Applied Social Work degree. “When we heard about the degree we decided it would be good to finish this journey with Manukau Institute of Technology,” says Mary, adding that their previous study successes also motivated them to take on this new challenge.
The content of the degree programme held added appeal as it fitted well within their cultural and religious upbringing. “We both come from a background of whanau supporting one another in times of need. Bringing up our tamariki [children] and seeing their achievements inspired us to help others,” says Wikitaringi.
Wikitaringi and Mary credit whanau who have achieved their own diplomas and degrees for supporting them throughout their education. They, in turn, have inspired other family members to pursue further education.
It is also a great source of pride to Wikitaringi and Mary that their Brisbane-based daughter, who will achieve her Diploma in Early Child Care this year, said, “If you can do it so can I”.
“Our children are over the moon in thinking that their parents could achieve a degree, and now say ‘you’re never too old to do what you think is impossible’,” says Wikitaringi.
Wikitaringi applies the skills he learned through his degree to his work at Manukau Institute of Technology as a part time kaumatua, providing students with support and activities to help succeed in their studies.
Wikitaringi and Mary will be joining other successful graduates in receiving their degree’s at the Graduation 2008 ceremony on Tuesday, 27 May at TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre.
