Ma¯ ori Language Week celebrated
Ma¯ ori Language Week was busy from the time the first communal karakia was held at Makirikiri Marae 9am Monday, September 17 to the final prize was awarded at the kapa haka festival on Friday at 3pm.
Following the karakia on Monday, focus moved to The Hub where a variety of experiences all promoting Ma¯ ori language were run for children and adults. There were mix and match games for the puzzlers, floor Scrabble for the thinkers, a reading corner for the contemplative and stick games for the energetic.
Several adults spoke about their learning of te reo through the UCOl course run by Te Wananga o Aotearoa, St S Joseph’s kapa haka gave a taste of what was to come on Friday and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tamaki Nui a Rua also showed why they were training for the regional finals.
Focus moved to the Catching Pen on Tuesday with the visit by Te Hamua Nikora of Maori Television fame and a concluding Combine Karakia wound up the week on Friday.
One of the Rangitane o Tamaki Nui a Rua organisers, Kelly Paewai, says: “What a thrill to see `Te Tapere Nui o Wha¯ tonga’ (the great forest of Wha¯ tonga) on the front page of the Bush Telegraph and a great way to start Te Wiki o Te Reo. The overwhelming support from the local businesses in displaying the reo and participating in Rapu Taonga — the treasure hunt — made sure the event was front and centre all week. Thank you also to everyone who donated prizes for Rapu Taonga. We will be acknowledging the sponsors and the prize winners in the next edition of the Bush Telegraph.
“Te Wananga o Aotearoa and UCOL helped make the day at The Hub a hit with the schools and kohanga reo. Every activity from challenging yourself to answer the phone with `Kia ora’ through to mastering Nga¯ Ta¯ karo Taonga is about being comfortable with using one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s official languages.
“Na¯ reira Tamaki Nui a Rua, kia kaha tonu mai ki te ako, ki te korero hoki I to` ta¯ tou reo rangatira ara¯ , te reo Ma¯ ori.”