Kohanga reo awaits licence

ALL NEW: Teachers, kaumatua and children visit Wanganui's new Nga Manu Tui Te Kohanga Reo. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO 260515WCSMKOHANGA

Wanganui's newest kohanga reo has been launched and will open as soon as it has been licensed, administrator Bronwyn Heitia says.

Nga Manu Tui Te Kohanga Reo was a dream of the late Te Otinga "George" Waretini, his widow Piki says.

It had a dawn opening on May 16 and is in the process of being licensed. It should be ready to operate in the second week of June.

The building will take 25 to 30 children and the roll is already full. Until it opens the children are being taught at the Rangahaua and Piri Mai Kohanga Reo - which have links to the new one.

"We are the most popular kohanga in this area. I think it's the way we do things. We make sure it's done properly," Mrs Waretini said.

Her late husband was a senior kaumatua across the whole Whanganui region. Between them he and she have more than 200 mokopuna - enough to fill several kohanga.

Acknowledging the importance of Mr Wartetini and the late Henry Bennett in the founding of the kohanga, Mrs Waretini and and 90-year-old Lena Tapa, who lives across Hylton St, will be the kaumatua of Nga Manu Tui. Ms Tapa has been long involved with Piri Mai Te Kohanga Reo in Wanganui East.

Mrs Waretini, 81, is still active with weaving and preserving, and daily visits to Rangahaua Te Kohanga Reo. "You've got to keep yourself motivated, even at this age," she said.

Sidney Ponga is Nga Manu Tui's chairman, Bronwyn Heitia its administrator, and kaiako (teachers) are already lined up.

The kohanga is just part of Mr Waretini's dream for its site of about 2ha at the corner of Brunswick Rd and Hylton St in Aramoho. His wife bought it in the early 2000s, after the two had finished their time as kaumatua for Whanganui's Te Awa Tupua exhibition at Te Papa in Wellington. They built on the land, lived there and worked toward the next stages.

A lot of fundraising was needed before the kohanga could be built.

"George and I were very very quiet people. We just did things quietly, and did it rightly.

"That's how we are as a family today," Mrs Waretini said.

The kohanga was built by Versatile Homes and Buildings. The land there can be poorly drained, and its on a raised and drained section next to the Waretini house.

The opening happened at dawn, with karakia and a presentation.

The kohanga now needs to be licensed before it can operate. Its health and safety plan, space available per child, fire exit plan, policies, practices are all being scrutinised. Miss Heitia hopes it will be licensed for 10 children under two, and 15 to 20 over two.

When that is working, a marae and kaumatua flats could be a next stage for the large site.

Mrs Waretini said the next developments would be built by family, and they would be an asset for future generations.

"George and I have always been caring people. It will be opened up to the community as well."

-Miss Heitia wanted to thank everyone involved - the builders, the Te Kohanga Reo National Trust, the Aotea kohanga reo office in Wanganui, the other kohanga in the Tangaroa cluster, kaumatua, kuia and whanau.