We have had a busy week celebrating Te wiki o te reo Māori at Long Bay College. Our whainga / goal was to promote and normalise the usage of te reo Māori in everyday life.
Our Year 10 Māori Studies class stepped up to lead activities that promoted the use of Te reo Māori. They chose their favourite whakataukī / proverbs and shared these on the Long Bay College social media and over daily speaker announcements for the school. One whakataukī they chose was, “Kāore te kumara e kōrero ana mo tōna ake reka”. This translates as: the kumara does not brag about its own sweetness. This reminds us to be humble.
On Wednesday our Years 9 and 10 Atawhai classes were taught some basic vocabulary for ordering food in te reo Māori. The school generously supplied parāoa parai / fry bread – similar to a doughnut, at lunch time over one hundred ākonga / students took part in speaking te reo Māori. They were rewarded with parāoa parai, tiamu / jam, mīere / golden syrup and pata / butter. They were also awarded house points for their participation.
On Thursday our school took part in Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori – the Māori Language Moment – which commemorates the day the Māori Language Petition was presented to Parliament in 1972. This significant event helped start what we now know as Te wiki o te reo Māori. Or school participated by saying our school karakia / blessing across the school at 12.15pm. An awesome group of Year 10 students led this over the loudspeaker.
Finally, our Kapa Haka, will also be celebrating te reo Māori, engaging in various community events. They will perform for Torbay Rest home, the pre-school session at East Coast Bays library, and at a concert for local kindergartens at Long Bay Primary. They will also be part of an East Coast Bays Community Kapa Haka festival held at Phoenix Plaza in Browns Bay on Sunday 17th September, from 2pm. They would appreciate your support on the day from friends and whānau.
We hope that our school community felt encouraged to speak te reo Māori this week, and every week, and may have learnt a few new kupu / words.
Kia kaha te reo Māori!
