Figure 1.--The artwork of New Zealand students, both Maori and Pakeha, often pick up on Maori themes. This evocative piece was painted by Sara Zwart at Cashmere High School.
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Figure 1.--The artwork of New Zealand students, both Maori and Pakeha, often pick up on Maori themes. This evocative piece was painted by Sara Zwart at Cashmere High School. |
New Zealand's largest minority group are the indigenous Maori people which represent about 15 percent of New Zealand's increasingly diverse population. The
Maori used to be a rural people, but have largely moved to the principal New Zealand cities. Maori students are an important part of many New Zealand schools.
The schools which once ignored the Maori language and culture, now embrace it.
The Warrior looks, peers out at the strangers.
A sign of defiance in his eyes.
He runs out swift as the Weka
protected by the mana of the Akirautangi. Ko wal Koe? Ko wal tenei?
Who is this?
The question occurs again and again
through the mind of the talaha warrior.
Our Poumatua,
Representing Te Mana o Kahukura, and the hills of home.
Standing proud with the heart of a clansman. A man not afraid of either tangata whenua
nor us, the manuhiri,
for he knows both.
Cameron Broadhead, Lymphad, Cashmere High School, 1993
Ngati Porou/Nga Puhi
E ngă waka, E ngă reo, E ngă mana
Ngă taitamariki o ngă hau e whă.
All the canoes, all the languages, all of your prestigious power.
Tënă koutou, tënă koutou, tënă koutou.
Greetings, greetings, greetings.
Ko tënei te mihi atu ki a koutou nö te kărite o Hakatere.
Hakatere College greets you.
Nö reira, nau mai, haere mai, haere mai.
And bids you welcome
Ko Opuke te Maunga
Ko Hakatere te awa
Ko Hakatere te marae
Opuke is the mountain (Mt Hutt)
Hakatere is the river (Ashburton River)
Hakatere is the Marae.
He whakamărama (Explanation)
Ko ënei ngă wahanga Măori kua watea ki a
Koutou ngă tauira o Hakatere.
These are the options available to the students of Hakatere.
Ashburton College, 1993
Ashburton College, 1993
He wahanga poto teni mo nga akonga o te tau tuatahi.
Maori customs - a short course of six months duration for first year students.
He wăthanga poto hoki ite reo me ngă tikanga Măori mo ngă akonga o te papa tua ono
A short course in Maori language and customs for students of the sixth form.
Inăianei, hiohio mătou ngă kaiwhakthaere o te kura me ngă tăngata
Măori o konei ki te hanga he whare.
Currently it is the desire of the school and the Maori conimunity to erect an
appropriate "house"
He wăhi pai ki te ako ngă mea katoa e pă ana ki a tătou katoa ngă iwi Mâori.
In which to teach all things touching upon all the Maori people.
Ashburton College, 1993
To all the Pakehas who are a bit mistified by the Maori language. Here is a neat link to a translator that can quickly translate to or from Maori for you.
Te whanau, the Maori Culture Group, has had an active year, with the trip to Taita College, the speech competitions and the beginning of work on a new whareako (or learning house) in the old economics rooms. Hopefully we will see the opening of this in 1994! The new whareako will create an advantage for all Cashmere students to use for a range of subjects. It will be a mutli-purpose learning place for students to learn important aspects of our history in a multi-cultural environment. Although the school is confident that the whareako will be completed by next Easter, there is a lot of time and effort to be put in.
Julie Dobson and Ngati Aihitereria, Lymphad, Cashmere High School, 1993
We aim to fulfil the intent of the Treaty of Waitangi by valuing and reflecting New Zealand's dual cultural heritage. Maori language is offered at all levels in the school.
Bilingual classes operate in the school at 3rd Form, 4th Form and 5th Form levels. All Form 3 students participate in a Maori Studies programme. We have a Maori Cultural group which represents the school on formal occasions and at a competitive level, often in
conjuction with Rotorua Girls' High School. Our boys take part in the Nga Manu Korero Korimako Speech Contests both locally and nationally. We encourage our boys to take part in the Ngarimu V.C Essay Competition at a national level. Programmes of a practical nature are also offered. These include Marae experiences, Carving, Waiata and Haka, Ti Rakau and Taiaha drills, Tukutuku, Kowhaiwhai work and Hoewaka activities. We encourage participation with the community appropriate to Maori language and cultural needs. e pride ourselves in "Te Whare o Raukura" which is the first and foremost a house of learning and a home for the Maori Department and the Bilingual Programme.
Nau Mai! Haere Mai! Whaia te iti Kahurangi - To the stars through hard work
Rotaura Boys High School
This is what some New Zealand students had to say about learning Maori and studying Mairi culture.
This year a group of students from Waitaki Boys' and Girls' [High School] have formed a Culture Groip called He Rangitahi o te Waitaki. In July we had the chance to go to Invercargil for Kapa Haka Competitions. We all had fun and came 3rd overall. The Maori Culture Group has been an awesome experience and I am looking forward to continuing with it. Scott Hirst
Starting Maori has been very interesting. I an slowly progressing every day and I find that pronouncing the words is a real challenge. We sometimes get to play games and I would recommend Maori to everyone. Duke Daniel
This year was my first year in Maori. I've learnt many new words. Although it was hard at first, I have coped with it and picked it up quite well. I first chose Maori language because I wanted to learn a language and I'm looking forward to continuing next year. Mike Graham
This year was harder than fourth form Maori. We learnt a lot of new sentence structuresand we learned and had to remember a lot of new words. Next year I hope to receive a good mark in S.C. [School Certificate] Maori. Alongside my Maori language I also have finish 3 or 4 wood sculptures and have been carving in Oamaru stone. I'vebeen selling bone carvings in the shops in town. I enjoy carving because I like the finished product and it gives me great pleasure to increase the visability of maori in the school. Layton Robertson
The reason why I studied Maori was because I wanted to learn another language and meet new people. It was hard at first but now I am getting better and my friends are asking me to tell them the answers. Aaron Little
