Māori teens have their say
Encouraging young people to express themselves shone through as one of the key messages at this year’s Manawatu¯ Horowhenua ngā manu kōrero speech competition.
The region’s best young Māori orators entered the secondary school competition at Queen Elizabeth College on Friday, making some impressive speeches in te reo and English.
Manukura student Matariki Black won the senior English category, Palmerston North Boys’ High School’s Hemi Pinfold-whanga was second and Alyssa Smaling of Horowhenua College was third.
Mana Tamariki student Taarewai-te-rangi won the senior Māori category, with Bayley Toto-foster from Manukura second and Maioha Taiepa of Palmerston North Boys’ High School third.
The winners qualify for the national finals on September 21-23, which are in Palmerston North.
Matariki, 17, said he would stay humble heading into the national championships.
‘‘The main objective is to let rangatahi (youth) express their feelings out to the world and get those rolling through.’’
Taarewa-i-te-rangi, 17, had chosen her topic as ‘‘Ko tōku reo Māori te tatau ki tōku ao Māori’’ or ‘‘my language is the door out to my Māori world’’.
She said it was about her world, so it wasn’t hard to research. She had looked to people important to her for inspiration.
Te Atahaia Durie, 13, from Mana Tamariki, won the junior Māori category for her speech on ‘‘Me āta tiaki te wairua o te tangata, ahakoa ko wai’’ or ‘‘Look after the spiritual vitality of people no matter who they are’’.
Kohae Cherrington of Manukura was second.
Aria Komene from Manukura won the junior English category, with Zinzan Deans-emery from Palmerston North Boys’ High School second and Freyberg High School’s Maro Preston third.
Wheturangi Walsh-tapiata was one of the judges for the English categories.
‘‘I loved the subjects the choices because they really reflected some deep thinking of the critical issues in our community.’’