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Scoop
a day ago
- General
- Scoop
Wāhine Māori Gather In Ōtautahi To Reclaim, Protect Sacred Taonga Of Karanga
Article – RNZ Whine were given a deeper understanding of their place within te ao Mori, a wnanga leader says. Surrounded by the strength of their tūpuna, wāhine from across the motu gathered at Rehua Marae in Ōtautahi for Tīhei Waitaha – a wānanga dedicated to exploring and protecting the sacred taonga of karanga. Facilitated by Heeni Te Whakaako Kereru (Liz) and led by the rōpū Te Kōkōwai Māreikura o Mātangireia, the wānanga honoured five respected māreikura who have upheld the mauri of mahau across generations: Rānui Ngārimu, Alamein Connell, Tihi Puanaki, Te Herehere Tukaki and Roberta Arahanga. At the heart of the kaupapa was the revitalisation of karanga, not just as an art form, but as a living tikanga. Kereru, known in the rohe as Whaea Liz or Aunty Liz, said the day was about more than teaching, it was about activation. 'Activating that punaroimata, activating all those kare-ā-roto that are within us as wāhine, about who we are – as kaikaranga, as mothers, as grandmothers.' Through the mātauranga of ngā māreikura, Kereru said wāhine were given a deeper understanding of their place within te ao Māori. 'It's opened the door to a whole different world, a new world for some of our māreikura e wāhine who have come today – and given a better understanding of who they are and how important we are within our own culture.' Kereru said it was important for wāhine to walk in the world with their heads held high, and with the strength of knowledge passed down to them from those that had gone before. 'Because for too long we've been dictated to. We've tried to live a culture that is not ours. And so now we're just reclaiming that.' Central to the kaupapa was tikanga. While more people are learning te reo Māori, Kereru said language alone was not enough. 'You can go and learn te reo Māori, and many are. But what's often lost is ngā tikanga because with te reo, comes ōna tikanga. There's always a tikanga to everything we do. 'You can't walk in te ao Māori unless you carry that tikanga behind you.' The wānanga also challenged the idea that karanga belongs only on the marae. 'Karanga is a form of communication. It doesn't only belong to the pōhiri process,' Kereru said. 'We're teaching our next generation that it can be used anywhere, it's not something that should be locked away.' Laying foundations for the future Kereru, a grandmother of 10, eight of whom are fluent in te reo, said this kaupapa was part of a larger, intergenerational movement. 'We're placeholders,' she said. 'My job as a māreikura is to make sure our mokopuna are safe. And confident in who they are as Māori.' Referencing a whakataukī from her iwi, Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei, for us and our children after us, she said there was strength in unity and knowing where you come from. 'We'll keep moving forward, no matter how many barriers are put in front of us. Because the more barriers we face, the stronger we become. 'We're united as a people… and we can only build strength from that.' 'Everybody is worthy' Danna Robson, one of the wānanga organisers, said the kaupapa was about recognising that every wāhine holds mana – regardless of background. 'Some people say the word māreikura should only be for a select few,' she said. 'But everybody is worthy.' With over 50 wāhine in attendance, the gathering made space for those who hadn't grown up in kōhanga reo or kura kaupapa. 'We invited in those that haven't been given the tools since birth,' she said. 'I think now it seems to be that every wāhine is coming into her own power and realising that she can be the inspiration for her own tamariki and mokopuna.' She hoped wāhine left feeling empowered in knowing that they had the right to karanga as wāhine Māori. 'They actually had the right before they were born to do this and to take on this kaupapa.' She also said in a time when Māori rights, reo and tikanga were under attack, spaces like this were vital. 'We're on a bit of a threshold. But [the younger] generation, the kōhanga reo generation, are reclaiming what once was. Walking successfully in both worlds, holding their mana motuhake, tino rangatiratanga.' She said the emergence of rangatahi leaders like Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke showed the next generation was already transforming the landscape. 'I think the next generation is going to surpass any moemoeā we could ever think of.' Surrounded by tūpuna Rehua Marae was chosen not only for its history, but for its inclusively. As a pan-tribal marae with deep whakapapa in trade training and whānau ties across the motu, it holds special meaning for the māreikura involved. 'This is the mahau where those five wāhine have stood together before,' Robson said. 'When they came out of the whare, hotuhotu ana te ngākau, waiwai ana te whatu. There were tears, because we knew it might not happen again.' Kereru said everyone who entered Te Whatu Manawa Maoritanga o Rehua had whakapapa to one of the pou in the whare. 'It just goes back to that whakatauki: Aroha ki te tangata, ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa nō hea – love people, no matter who they are or where they are from. 'It needed to be here for that reason because it's about safety. That's about giving every one of those women that come today a voice.' And in that space of safety and aroha, the strength of their tūpuna was felt. 'They were everywhere,' she said. 'It's time. They've been waiting for a long time.' Kereru said the impact of the day was written on the faces of those who came. 'Some weren't sure if they were even ready to come. But by the end of the day, you could see it, that realisation of 'I am worthy of this. This is for me'. 'They've been empowered. And not just as reo karanga, as wāhine Māori.' With demand already growing, the organisers said they would take a moment to rest before turning to what came next. 'We haven't even debriefed yet, but people are already asking about the next one,' Robson said. 'That tells us everything.'
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Changes confirmed for New Zealand passport, placing English before te reo Māori
The order of languages used in the New Zealand passport has stoked strong emotions. Photo / Supplied, PRADO Speaker Gerry Brownlee reiterated a ruling on the use of the term Aotearoa in Parliament yesterday, in which he said it was regularly used as a name of New Zealand, and appears on our passports and currency. The question of the use of the term Aotearoa comes after debate sparked by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. Speaking before yesterday's Question Time, Brownlee mentioned Peters' work on passports as Foreign Affairs Minister. 'In his time serving New Zealand, in the capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he would've, over some five years or more, presented the New Zealand passport at various passport stations around the world and never had questioned the fact that our passport has the word Aotearoa on the front of it. It was always a New Zealand passport despite the use of that word. 'That is the end of the matter.' Earlier this week, Peters was asked about the Government's work to protect the marine environment of 'Aotearoa New Zealand', following a recent United Nations conference on oceans. Peters responded that he had attended the UN summit, but 'no such country turned up, nor is such a country a member of the United Nations.' The New Zealand First leader was asked about the remarks after Parliament's Question Time concluded, to which he responded people have no right 'unilaterally, like some sort of arrogant bureaucrat to change the country's name without consulting the New Zealand people'. Peters then asked what the term Aotearoa was doing on Government documents, as 'it's not the name of New Zealand'. In 2021, during the release of the now-current passport, the Department of Internal Affairs said, 'The silver fern and Coat of Arms remain, but te reo Māori now appears first on the cover and throughout the book.' The passport also came with security features, making it one of the most technologically advanced passports in the world. Service delivery and operations deputy chief executive, Maria Robertson, said at the time it had a unique design that 'we can all be proud of'. The move to put te reo Māori first was also applauded by the Māori Language Commission on social media, with a 'Ka rawe!' Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament's press gallery. She joined NZME in 2022 and became a Newstalk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and government spending.
The Spinoff
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
‘I'm still searching for Wally': Donovan Te Ahunui Farnham's childhood favourite
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: Donovan Te Ahunui Farnham, author of Whānau: Reo Māori phrases to share with the people you love. The book I wish I'd written I'm very fortunate that I get to work alongside highly proficient speakers of te reo Māori and, while my passion lies in normalising te reo and I believe that Whānau has something to offer speakers at any level, I'd love to write a book that clearly and thoroughly explains some of the most common language errors that people make, from pronunciation to semantics to grammar. I could really geek out in a book like that, complete with footnotes, diagrams and a glossary that's almost as big as the book! Unfortunately, two friends of mine, Dr Hona Black and Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell, beat me to it. I'll always harbour a grudge towards them for that. Everyone should read Everyone should read something from the Kotahi Rau Pukapuka range. I'm a licensed translator and interpreter of te reo Māori, and that collection features the best translations out there. No Māori-language book has gotten my oldest son more excited that Hare Pota me te Whatu Manapou, the translation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The book I want to be buried with Such a morbid question deserves a morbid answer. I'd like to be buried in the most eco-friendly manner possible. I'm not sure which book would breakdown the fastest – maybe a newspaper? The first book I remember reading by myself Where's Wally! I know it should probably be more profound, or something that paints me in a more cultured light, but I didn't find my love of reading until I was an adult. Growing up, we had two main options for entertainment: go outside or watch TV. I wasn't read to as a child, but sometimes going outside led me to the library and the Where's Wally collection was so much fun! I'm still searching for Wally in The Land of Wallies. Fiction or nonfiction I've spent a lot of time with my nose buried in Māori-language grammar books, so I'd have to say I read more nonfiction, but I have a well-used Audible subscription and have absorbed a large amount of fiction since I signed up. Even though I was a late bloomer when it came to reading, we've always tried to fill our house with books and foster a love of reading. Because of this, I've managed to do a lot of catching up alongside my kids and my boys and I loved the Harry Potter series, The Hunger Games series, the Percy Jackson series, just to name a few. It's a crime against language to My pet peeve is macrons in the wrong place, especially if someone has added one where it doesn't belong! There's a world of difference between tara and tāra, but I'll let you look that one up for yourself. The only graffiti I've ever done was adding a macron or an apostrophe to a sign. Luckily, this serial orthographic corrector is still at large. The book that made me cry My wife says that I only have two emotions: 'grumpy' and 'not-grumpy', so I can't claim a book has literally brought me to tears, but my 8-year-old nephew lives with us and he hasn't had an easy life, so far. We love Dog Man by Dav Pilkey and, I won't spoil it too much, but there's a child (or kitten to be more precise) that isn't able to live with his parents. However, he grows up with a loving whānau and is an awesome, well-rounded kid. It's hard to find a book where the child isn't raised by their biological parents, let alone one where the foster parents are portrayed as a positive, stable part of their lives. Dog Man has so many positive messages for children. We're big fans of the series. So no, I didn't cry, but I did sit non-grumpily and stare out the window for a while, which for me is practically sobbing. The book I never admit I've read Apart from my wife, no one knows about my fleeting obsession with The Walking Dead – the popular TV show that started around 15 years ago. Well, I was so into it, that I also read the comic book series and would wait eagerly every month or so for a new one to come out. I read just over 100 of them, before deciding that I needed to give it up cold turkey. Edit: I just Googled it. They only made 193! It might be time for a relapse. If I could only read three books for the read of my life they would be Ladies and gentlemen, strap yourselves in for possibly the most boring answer to this question that you've ever heard. If there were an apocalypse and I could only read three books for the rest of my life, they would be as follows: A Dictionary of the Māori Language by Herbert A Māori Reference Grammar by Ray Harlow Ngā Pēpeha a ngā Tīpuna by Hirini Moko Mead and Neil Grove These three are the staples in my reading diet, but hey, if the apocalypse comes, I'll be prepped to correct anyone's Māori-language! Encounter with an author A disturbingly large number of my friends are authors, and whenever one of them publishes a book, I make a point of asking them to sign a copy for me. Not one of them has accepted graciously. Now, of course, I have my own book, and I can wholeheartedly say that I have not accepted signing my friends' books graciously either. It's so awkward and I wouldn't wish it on anyone … until one of them publishes again. Then it's back ambushing them with pen and book in hand, for the sake of the collection. What are you reading right now Right now, I'm partway through my sister's Master's thesis. She's amazing – she's working on undoing the narrative of 'The Angry Māori Woman', interviewing Māori women in leadership roles. She's done a great job telling their stories, but it is a Master's thesis and it's slow going. Maybe I need to wait for the audiobook version. Whānau: Reo Māori phrases to share with the people you love by Donovan Te Ahunui Farnham and illustrated by Rehua Wilson ($30, Hachette) is available to purchase from Unity Books.
Scoop
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
New Single And Video Signals Good Time Ahead For Reggae Band NLC
NLC No Limits Crew - Latest News [Page 1] NLC Drops Soulful Te Reo Māori Single For NZ Music Month The Whanganui-based musicians are well known for their fusion of reggae with elements of soul and dub woven with te reo Māori and English. Their latest offering goes one step further; an original song recorded totally in te reo Māori, called Ko au ... More >>
NZ Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Ngāti Kahungunu wants te reo road works signs reinstated
Ngāti Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber said the decision to not allow the taihoa/haere sign was not about 'rules', but about 'racism'. 'Te reo Māori is not a translation, a novelty or a risk. It is official. It is sacred. It is ours. It belongs on our roads just as it does in our wharenui, classrooms, homes and workplaces,' he said. Barber said he loved seeing the use of te reo in roading signage and said as the sign is only two words surrounded by green or red, most people would understand this as stop or go. 'This is a perfect opportunity to introduce te reo to the masses,' he said. Barber said Ngāti Kahungunu wanted the immediate reinstatement of bilingual signs in te reo Māori and English and a full rewrite of NZTA's rulebook so that 'this never happens again'. 'Te reo Māori is a language of this land. It must be seen, spoken, and protected – not paused, not questioned and not erased." A spokesman from NZTA said in response to Ngāti Kahungunu that it appreciates te reo Māori is an official language of New Zealand and will continue to use it in many parts of its work. But the spokesman said safety on the road was 'non–negotiable" and the use of approved signs was 'critical to ensuring all road users and traffic crews remain safe around work sites'. 'NZTA would welcome the opportunity to discuss the work with Mr Barber and he is welcome to get in contact with regional leaders.' The spokesperson said there were a small number of traffic signs in the Traffic Control Devices Rule conveying a message in te reo only (e.g. Marae, Kōhanga reo, Tangi), but most traffic signs were presented in English. 'The taihoa/haere signs are signalling critical messages for traffic (stop, go, slow) which could impact on safety,' the spokesperson said. 'Careful consideration and testing would be needed if replacing English with te reo Māori or adding te reo Māori to make a sign bilingual.' The Traffic Control Devices Rule is a transport regulation. It is the responsibility of the Minister of Transport and NZTA is not able to change it, NZTA said. It must adhere to the law and only use signs specified in the rule. The spokesman said the new Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024 had been finalised and bilingual/te reo Māori traffic signs are not identified as the Government's priority. A representative for the Minister of Transport directed Hawke's Bay Today 'squestions to NZTA.
