Young orators strive to make mark (+ video)

Students polish up speaking skills for regional contest

Orators of the future will showcase their skills at the Te Arawa Nga Manu Korero Secondary School Speech Contest.

Sixteen schools will compete at Waiariki Institute of Technology tomorrow in the annual regional competition, which will select four speakers to go through to the nationals in September.

Nga Manu Korero was established in 1965 by then Governor General Sir Bernard Fergusson as a way to promote the use of the English language by Maori secondary school students. Today it is broken into Maori and English categories, with juniors and senior students competing.

"It was a platform, which students through the competition were able to strive to improve the language and speak their thoughts to an audience. Since [it started] it has become the most prestigious speech competition in Maori education," local organiser and Rotorua Boys' High School teacher Wairangi Jones said.

"There are 16 schools taking part and at this stage possibly around 28-30 speakers throughout the day."

All the schools fall within Te Arawa rohe, which spans from Te Puke to Turangi, and involves kura kaupapa Maori and mainstream schools.

"The speech topics are set at national level and schools are then informed. It's always relevant to teenage life, education or a particular political point happening in New Zealand at the moment."

Mr Jones said there would be 16 judges assessing the students.

"Judges themselves can either be former Manu Korero winners, people renowned in the Maori and exponents of the English language.

"We made a call from the community and those people in Te Arawa have [come forward] and have shown their ability," he said.

"If you look at the leaders in Maori society today, invariably they have been a Manu Korero winner. If you look through Parliament, commerce, law, education, usually whoever is leading that area has been a winner, in terms of being at the top level of their field, they are certainly there all right."

Rotorua Boys' High School head boy Rawiri Manley will compete in the senior English section.

"I've spoken in the junior Maori section and thought I should do the English just for a change," he said.

Rhayvon Mihaere, 13, will also be representing the school in the junior Maori category.

"My speech is called Tell me I can't and I will. I've been practising every day, pronunciation, vocabulary and trying to emphasise my words instead of sounding dead."

Te Arawa Nga Manu Korero will start with a pohiri at 8.30am at Waiariki before speeches begin at 10am.