Maori students and staff of the University of Waikato flocked to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor Neil Quigley in their dozens on Tuesday, to protest the restructuring of New Zealand’s first independent school for Maori studies. The remodelling comes only 18 months after the faculty became independent. Both Maori students and their supporters gathered to sing waiata and protest peacefully, presenting their case to the Vice Chancellor with “aroha” and a Mana Maori that they hope will show they want to come to a resolution without any conflict. Truly Harding, a student at the University, spoke to reporter Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira today about what the restructuring means for those students taking Maori and Indigenous studies, and why the issue is so important for Modern Maori to get involved with.