Stratford High School students celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

The Year 10 students ran a cafe during the week. Photo/ Supplied

Stratford High School students celebrated Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with a number of fun activities.

Last week was Māori language week and to celebrate, Stratford High School Year 10 te reo Māori students organised some activities for the week, with help from Whaea Makere and te reo Māori head of department Dan Kerr.

Year 10 student Mynaro Filipo (15) was one of the students involved in organising the activities.

"It's important to celebrate the reo as well as Māori culture," she says.

The activities included kapa haka, a pop-up Māori cafe, and also Māori games during the school's lunch break. The cafe was her favourite activity to organise, Mynaro says.

The students learning kapa haka. Photo/ Supplied

"We also organised a Pasifika-theme non-uniform day for the day as well. We were involved with the whole process, from selecting where to run the cafe to decorating the venue and also what food we'd make. We decided on the school's canteen as that the most sense."

For the food, the students picked a number of goodies to serve.

"We had cream potatoes, fry bread, lollies, drinks, and a sausage sizzle as well."

While Mynaro isn't sure about how much was raised, she is positive the cafe was a success.

"People were really keen to try some new food which was great."

The money goes towards the class's school trip at the end of the year.

"We're unsure of what where we will be going but the money we raised will help us get there."

A game of Pūkana between students. Photo / Alyssa Smith

As well as organising events during lunchtime, the students also organised events each form class could do together.

"Those were a lot of fun to organise, it was just really cool to see everyone get involved."

She says there was a big uptake of students celebrating Māori culture.

"We heard a lot of students and teachers using more te reo in day-to-day conversations which was great to see."