For the first time, Te Maru Pūmanawa (Selwyn College) at the University of Otago in Dunedin will be led by a Pasifika Warden and Deputy Warden. Selwyn College belongs to the Anglican Diocese of Dunedin and has served as a residential college at the University of Otago for more than 130 years.

The College’s new warden Sagato (Ziggy) Lesā is an experienced leader of Otago University Colleges, starting out as Deputy Warden at Aquinas College, then clocking up 22 years as Warden of Studholme College and Cumberland College. He also brings a strong background in education, youth ministry and cross-cultural communication.

Ziggy believes that university colleges have an important role to play in supporting students from Pasifika and Māori communities who can often feel on the outer in Pākehā-led higher education. 

“It’s my intention to position Selwyn College through building strong, meaningful relationships with Pasifika and Māori communities at local level first. This is important as we need to be known in our own backyard… [then] we can branch out to the wider motu.”

Ziggy wants Selwyn College to seek out and encourage Māori and Pasifika students with higher education aspirations and invite them to be part of its residential community where they will be embraced in its three tikanga Anglican special character.

But he cautions that sending out that invitation will come with extra responsibilities for he and his staff to take on board.

 “For example ensuring that our College continues to provide a genuine atmosphere that is culturally appropriate, welcoming and accepting, not only for the students, but also for their wider family and support networks.”

“There is a saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.”   

Deputy Warden Tautaiolefue Bradley (Brad) Watson will work with the College’s (Māori, Pākehā and Pasifika) team of subwardens and the warden as the College’s second Samoan Deputy Warden, following in the footsteps of Latafale Auva’a who served as Selwyn’s first Deputy Warden from 2017-19.

Tautaiolefue believes the new appointments could make a real difference to College life.

“It’s a significant milestone in the College’s history to have both the Warden and the Deputy Warden being Samoan and people of faith — for the first time in the College’s 131 year history.”

Brad thinks that looking ahead, Ziggy’s time as Tautiaki will impact the College in a number of spheres. 

“For Pacific tauira, their families and communities, having a Warden who is not only Pacific, but also incredibly experienced gives a sense of peace knowing that pastoral support and care will be provided, from both strong professional and cultural foundations.” 

Tautaiolefue says that only a couple of months into the academic year, it’s exciting to see how all tauira, not just Māori and Pacific students, are embracing different approaches and events: from preparing for the annual inter-college cultural competition, meeting and connecting around the tanoa and learning the College’s newly-revised haka.

“My hopes are that the three tikanga Anglican special character is interwoven, embedded and integrated into the day-to-day way we do things at Te Maru Pūmanawa as the standard practice of pastoral care and the Selwyn experience.”

Selwyn College chaplain and Governing Board member, Rev Canon Michael Wallace is excited to be working with the new College leaders, especially in strengthening three tikanga Anglican character, which has been a strategy he has supported during the term of previous warden, Luke McClelland.

“The appointment of a Pasifika warden is timely as the college seeks to welcome more Māori and Pasifika residents through avenues such as the Hoani Parata scholarships, relationship building with the University’s Māori and Pacific support centres and our many sending Anglican institutions across Aotearoa, New Zealand and the Pacific.” 

Tautaiolefue Watson has been with the College since the start of 2024 and Sagato Lesā took up his new role as Warden in April 2024.