Murupara teen talks way to top

By CHERIE TAYLOR in Murupara
At 17, Murupara teenager Weronika Grace is a bit too young to be thinking about grandchildren. But it was thinking about what she might say to her future mokopuna which won her a national orator's award recently. Following her success in the regional Manu Korero Speech Competition at Turangi in July, the total immersion student from Murupara's Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau walked away from the national contest in Palmerston North with the overall Korimako Trophy and impromptu award.

Her speech in the first challenge was "Should we follow in the footsteps of our ancestors?". This time, she talked about what she would say to her moko (grandchild) in 2040.

Her advice in short: "Look at life in a different way, be proud in your identity as Maori - it is a gift - and live in peace and harmony with the environment."

She even had some advice about relationships: "Marry a man who is a worker and has a vision for the future".

Her immediate plans are to be the first Year 13 student at her school, enter next year's contest and then take up media studies at university.

"I want to defend my title and then I want to pass on what knowledge I have learnt to the next generation," she said.

Her principal, Pem Bird, said she was a role model to her peers.

"Once Weronika gets on that stage the magic that she has just takes over.

"She has this way of capturing everyone's attention and they sit up and take notice and not many people have that gift," he said.