Young speakers lift the bar

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Kaikohe student Rehia Nikora-Rameka win the trophies he won in the senior Maori section of last week's Te Tai Tokerau Nga Manu Korero regional speech competitions.

The students who contested last week's Te Tai Tokerau Nga Manu Korero regional finals at Forum North in Whangarei lifted the bar with their oratory skills, according to an organiser who has been part of the speech competition for 10 years.

And one of them, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Kaikohe's Rehia Nikora-Rameka, was accorded a formal welcome on to his school grounds yesterday in recognition of the return to the school of the senior Maori trophy, after an absence of four years.

Students from 26 Northland schools, from Awanui to Warkworth, contested the finals, choosing subjects ranging from Maori health to how past Nga Manu Korero winners had influenced Maori leadership.

Co-ordinator Robert Diamond, who has been involved with Nga Manu Korero for 10 years as a competitor and an organiser, said the standard had risen over the years, but he hoped to see more schools taking part in years to come.

The full results were:

Rawhiti Ihaka (junior Maori): Te Aroha Pawa (Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Tonga o Hokianga) 1, Teariki Tarau (Te Pumanawa o Te Wairua) 2, Amoho Karetai-Mahanga (Tikipunga High) 3.

Pei Te Hurinui Jones (senior Maori): Rehia Nikora-Rameka (Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Kaikohe) 1, Kiriopa Ihaka-Allen (Whangarei Boys' High School) 2, Arama Wikaira (Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Tonga o Hokianga) 3.

Ta Turi Kara (junior English): Tasha Parrett (Otamatea High School) 1, Isabella Joe (Kerikeri High School) 2, Hine Roberts (Taipa Area School) 3.

Korimako (senior English): Louis Paul (Huanui College) 1, Te Hauariki Gardiner-Toi (Taipa Area School) 2, Jay McLaren-Harris (Dargaville High School) 3.

Ta Himi Henare (bilingual): Te Paerangi Kopa (Northland College) 1. Tiaho Mahanga (Tikipunga High School) 2, Kyla Campbell (Whangarei Girls') 3.