Tamariki at Te Heti Kōhanga Reo in Whanganui enjoy a short break after starting the day with waiata and dance. Photo / Liz Wylie
Tamariki at Te Heti Kōhanga Reo in Whanganui enjoy a short break after starting the day with waiata and dance. Photo / Liz Wylie
At Te Heti Kohanga Reo in Castlecliff, tamariki begin the day with enthusiastic singing of waiata accompanied by plenty of actions and some improvised dance moves.
Asset Tamati-Christensen is 4 and looking forward to his 5th birthday next month when he will continue his Māori language education at Te KuraKaupapa Māori O Tupoho.
"Ae", he says, he is aware it is Māori Language Week and it is "ka pai" to learn at a kōhanga reo.
Asset has been attending Te Heti since he was a baby and five of his kaiako (teachers) started their te reo education as early as he did.
The theme for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2020 is Kia kaha te reo Māori.
Māori Language Week began on Monday, the anniversary of the 1972 presentation of the Māori language petition to Parliament which led to the introduction of Māori Language Week in 1975.
To say "Kia kaha te reo Māori" means "Let's make the Māori language strong" and the week began with Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori - Māori Language Moment which aimed to have 1 million people speaking, singing and celebrating te reo at 12pm on Monday.
Hundreds of special events have been held around the country this week but for children and teachers at Whanganui kōhanga, every day is a te reo day.
Kiah Medlyn Reweti is the head kaiako at Te Heti, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year although its origins go back to 1983 when Kiah's grandmother Huia Reweti Henare started things off in a garage in Mānuka St.
It was the first Māori language preschool in Whanganui and Huia's passion for language revitalisation was also the driver for Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Tupoho because she saw no point in children learning te reo if they wouldn't have the opportunity to continue the education.
Kiah's own children now attend the kōhanga reo founded by her grandmother and she says it is a privilege to continue the vision with a current roll of 65 at Te Heti.
Kaiako Cerese Sheehan works with some early learners at Te Rangahaua Te Kōhanga Reo in Whanganui. Photo / Liz Wylie
Te Rangahaua Te Kōhanga Reo in Bell St is a smaller centre with a roll of about 25.
There was less dancing and singing going on at Te Rangahaua as there was a higher proportion of babies in attendance so kaiako were delivering language with books and blocks to their early learners.
There are now 17 Kōhanga Reo centres in the Whanganui district contributing to the language revitalisation envisaged by the 30,000 people who signed the petition delivered to Parliament in 1972.
• To find information and resources for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2020 visit tewikiotereomaori.co.nz.
