Description: The history of colonialism in New Zealand has had a profound effect on Maori (the indigenous population of New Zealand), decimating their economic, political, cultural and social structures through policies of assimilation and integration. The New Zealand tertiary education system is reflective of its colonial derivative, particularly the British university system. Since the 1970s, there has been increasing resistance to these colonial constructs. Whare Wananga (Maori tertiary institutions) have emerged from this milieu of resistance, with their precedence in kohanga reo (early childhood language nests), kura kaupapa Maori and wharekura (primary and secondary schools). This resistance was borne of a withdrawal from the grand narrative of the coloniser, where Maori engaged in a counter-hegemonic struggle against the continuous interrogation of power. This paper describes the establishment of Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, from its instigation as a resistance to the dominant constructs of the university to its current status of being the first Maori tertiary wananga to be awarded doctoral degree granting status. In its current form, this places Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi in direct competition with mainstream universities. Universities have fought against the rise of wananga moving into territories which have been regarded as traditionally those of universities. This paper will discuss the politics facing indigenous tertiary institutions through the examination of one - Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi - as it seeks to provide a transormative approach to learning in the face of continued and often hostile opposition to its validity as a knowledge institution in New Zealand. Methodology: Using a kaupapa Maori theoretical and methodological framework, this paper will examine and identify the key issues facing this institution. Kaupapa Maori is grounded in transformative praxis (Smith, 1998) positing that Maori ways of knowing and doing research have validity and applicability in a teaching and research context. Conclusions: The conclusions from this paper will illustrate the ongoing struggles faced by indigenous institutions as they seek to provide transformative learning experiences for their students. The paper will also highlight the perseverance such institutions have to facilitate in the transformative learning experience.