Te Ururoa Flavell: Maori language most important

Te Kura o Te Koutu students raise funds for Mexico. Photo / Andrew Warner.

Greetings again.

Recently, a fundraising venture was held at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Koutu. A travelling party will be heading to Mexico in the new year where they will immerse themselves in Spanish language and Mexican culture. This group have four languages at their disposal; Maori, English, Spanish and the dialects of texting. That language is quite unique. Our children are quickly able to grasp all languages, it is not a problem for them. It is for that reason that I am astounded at the lack of commitment by people to our language. People "oooh" and "aaaahhh" when they hear our children speaking Maori. We can marvel at the results of children who attend immersion schools, kura a iwi, kura kaupapa Maori, but only 5 per cent of our children take up these options. I say we have arrived at a time when we must consider Maori language and knowledge taught through Maori as a viable option for our children.

Last week I was able to travel to Northland. Health issues, housing and unemployment were all topics of conversation wherever I went, whether that was Waikare, Kaitaia, Kaikohe or Whangarei. I was really impressed with what Ngati Hine had been up to. They realised that if they came together as an iwi to support one of their own, that person could secure a seat on the district council. That is exactly what happened. It is a great example for all of us. We should organise ourselves for the local authority elections, indeed for the general election.

To conclude, as I write this article, some of our children were in Tauranga for the Te Mana Kuratahi (National Primary Schools Kapa Haka Competition) 2013. These children could well be on stage at Te Matatini in 2019. Isn't that exciting? I wish them all well.

I welcome your feedback. Email mpwaiariki@parliament.govt.nz Phone 0508 924274

Te Ururoa Flavell is the MP for Waiariki and the Maori Party co-leader.

Moari translation:

Tena ano tatou, kei nga manu taiko o te kainga.

Nonatatanei i tu te ra kohi moni o Te Kura o Te Koutu. He tira haere kua tu ki te haere ki Mehiko a te tau hou, a, he rumaki tonu ki te reo Paniora te mahi, he noho i waenganui pu i te ahua reo Mehiko. E hoa ma, ka wha nga reo o tenei hunga, ko te reo Maori, reo Pakeha, reo Paniora, tae atu ki te momo reo o te waea pukoro. Tena momo reo tera.

Ka taea e a tatou tamariki te tere mau i nga momo reo katoa, kaore he paku raruraru ki a ratou. Koia nei au e ohorere tonu nei ki to tatou kore hiahia ki te whai i to tatou reo Maori. Ka `oooooh', ka `aaahhh' mai etahi ina rongo nei ratou i nga tamariki e korero Maori ana. Ka miharo tonu atu tatou ki nga tatauranga e mea ana, e eke tonu ana nga tamariki o nga kura reo Maori nei, kura a iwi, kura kaupapa

Maori ki nga taumata tiketike o te matauranga, engari rima o rau o te ao Maori e whai nei i tenei huarahi. E hoa ma kua eke ki taua wa. Ata whakaarohia, ko te reo Maori, ko te
matauranga Maori mo nga tamariki.

I te wiki kua hipa, i eke atu au ki Te Tai Tokerau. Ko te whakapaa atu ki nga ahi kaa o te Paati Maori te mahi, ko te kimi tangata kia whakakanohi mai te Paati Maori i tera takiwa.

I nga wahi penei i a Waikare, ko nga take hauora, take whare, take kore mahi te korero, huri atu, huri mai koia te korero i Kaitaia, Kai kohe, i Whangarei hoki. I te tino miharo au ki nga mahi a Ngati Hine. Hei whakamarama ake, i kitea e Ngati Hine, mena i whakakotahi ratou ki te tautoko i tetahi o ratou, tera pea, ka eke taua tangata ki te turu a Kaunihera o taua rohe. Na, i puawai tera wawata. He tauira pai tera ma tatou katoa.

Me whakariterite tatou i a tatou ano mo nga pooti a Kaunihera, a motu ranei. Hei kupu whakamutunga, i a au e tuhi nei i tenei korero, kei Tauranga etahi o a tatou tamariki mo te Whakataetae Kapa Haka a Motu mo nga kura a Takawaenga. Kei te whakarite ratou katoa mo te Matatini 2019 pea.

Kia kaha ra.
Te Ururoa Flavell.