this is Maoriland

oh dear - this council has backed down to warriner who objected to the use of a macron in Kāpiti. Gutless and useless are they. warriner is in another catagory - guess which one?
From Dom Post

"Mr Warriner, an English immigrant living in Paraparaumu Beach, said using the macron was "offensive to the New Zealand language".

"At the end of the day, this is New Zealand it's not Maoriland. I didn't come to Maoriland, I came to New Zealand. I speak the New Zealand language, I'm a citizen of New Zealand."

If the small things that are "against democracy" are not sorted out then New Zealand can "forget the big ones", he said.

I'd prefer immigrants with this attitude to go away. We don't need antiquated ideas based on race hatred bought in by some immigrant - we have enough already thanks. So pack up and piss off mate - this is MAORILAND.

A teacher teaches

Racism is a funny (not ha ha) old thing - race is a discredited concept so how does racism work? - based on generalisations about what people see and/or hear and the misconceptions that people have about the groups being generalised. Denigrating people by ridiculing them and disrespecting them, and for indigenous people, doing the same to their culture too, creates distress for the people unfairly targeted. The Green Island Postshop/Kiwibank, just out of Dunedin, has got a few questions to answer after this appaling example of disrespect. From ODT

"Asked to provide the name of the account by the female teller, she answered "Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Otepoti".

"She just laughed. And then she got her manager and said, 'Come and listen to this'," Miss Amiria Stirling said.

She repeated "Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Otepoti" to the pair, and then a nearby cafe worker was invited by the bank staff to listen as she repeated the school's name for a third time.

To add further insult, when asked her surname to complete the transaction, she was told it "was much better" to understand, before being farewelled with "kakariki", which translates to "green", as she left the building.

This is just appaling - I am going to give them a point for attempting to say goodbye in te reo because at least they tried. And it is fair to say that the first time you hear Otepoti (awe-tay-paw-tee) it can sound a little funny to uneducated ears - but still that is no reason to insult the woman. These people never considered that their actions were hurtful, it just didn't enter their head. Are they racist? No more than many others, certainly they are culturally insenstive and I hope they feel ashamed and tidy up their act, but I suspect they may be going, "What is the problem", "I have lots of maori friends", "People are just too PC and oversenstive", "It was just a bit of fun".

Anyway, what has been the result so far

"Miss Stirling said she was stunned by the incident and, after consultation, decided to write letters of complaint to the bank and members of Parliament, stating, "Our school chose Kiwibank because it's a bank for everyone.

"A founding belief of our school is that all languages and cultures are precious. All languages and cultures should be uplifted and celebrated, never laughed at."

The letter finished with an open invitation for branch staff to come to the school, which has a roll of 10, and to participate in free Te Reo Maori lessons.

Miss Stirling said the incident would serve as a lesson for the schoolchildren on conflict resolution, and the school was likely to continue using the branch in the future.

I would be very happy for Miss Amiria Stirling to teach my son - a brilliant example of mana and how to make lemonade from a couple of lemons. Thank you Amiria for this lesson.

Hat tip - Halfdone

we have a major malfunction

The Waitangi Tribunal pre-report on the state of the maori language highlights the perilous and fragile position of the language. We should be scared if we care about Te Ao Maori. But fear must be turned into action and I don't have any problem with some people saying maori should take responsibility for their own language - give us the resources and we will. But there is a role for the whole country to be involved in rebuilding Te Reo because the aquisition of this language would open up the world of maori for people and that would add immense benefit to us all. Just imagine how different some of our discussions would be, how rich and subtle and satisfying - we would probably resolve issues much faster than today.

One aspect of the report is the context - we are still waiting for the Wai 262 claim - this has been 20 years now and many kaumatua who set the claim in motion are no longer with us - this pre-report does not address the Wai 262 claim and it is about time something was decided.

namegames

I am opposed to naming a ridge on Aoraki for ed hillary. Sorry, it is just not appropriate.

From NZH

"The Geographic Board has narrowed a list of several public proposals for honouring the New Zealand icon down to one - to rename the South Ridge of Aoraki-Mt Cook "Hillary Ridge"  ...While some might think Sir Ed's enormous contribution merits the naming of a whole mountain, or mountain range"

Ummm - what contribution did ed make to maori?

I tend to believe that everything should be renamed back to maori. Just think about the recent weather in maori- showing the correct names for each area - it didn't make anyone's head explode. We could double-name for a while, no problem. Consultation is important as this story shows.

From NZH

"Te Heipora Place, off Arataki Rd, was named after the principal wife of Te Hapuku, an important chief in the area in the 1870s. Te Heipora owned a large area of land there.

Residents objected at a naming and blessing ceremony yesterday morning because they had not been part of the naming process, saying the name was too unfamiliar and difficult to pronounce.

Oh dear - Te Heipora (tay hay-pora) - that's fixed.

"But kaumatua Jerry Hapuku said the name had great significance, and matched Karanema Drive, which was named after Te Heipora's son or grandson.

The iwi did not intend to compromise. "We want this name on this street. It is how we feel as descendants," he said."

and as Pukepuke Tangiora Huata, a descendent of Te Heipora says

"We have foreign tourists visiting who can say the words right but some people born in New Zealand don't want to."

Don't want to!

If we did go to maori names we would soon adjust. It would really help this country and create opportunities to move forward.

Bit more about names from Lew at Kiwipolitico

12 week Te Reo challenge

Email recieved - are you up for the challenge!

Nei rā te reo manahau ki a koutou, It is Māori Language week for 2010, Kotahi mano Kāika has a wero / challenge for you all. We have created the 12 week Te Reo Challenge, which we officially launched yesterday. It caters for all levels, beginner, intermediate, and advanced. It hopes to be a fun and interactive way of building up your knowledge of te reo Māori and to get you out into the community speaking te reo Māori. Kaua e noho haumumu ( Don’t sit silently ) kua takoto te manuka whānanu.


The challenge has been laid. Now is the time to register, go to http://www.kmk.maori.nz/challenge/ complete the registration process, everyone has the opportunity to win prizes daily and weekly. Prizes range from KMK clothing, Generation Reo clothing, Ipods the list goes on.

If you have any problem’s with downloading the forms please ring or email the team at Toitū te kura, we are more than happy to walk you through the process if need be.

Mēnā he kōrero, he whakaahua, he kiriata, he amuamu āu e pā ana ki tēnei whakataetae, tēnā koa, hono atu ki http://www.facebook.com/kotahimanokaika He waka eke noa - Ka tautūtakitaki ētahi atu māia i reira hai manawa, hai taituarā ā, ka kōrerorero tātou katoa mo ngā piki me ngā heke!

If you have any kōrero you would like to share, photo's or videos pertaining to this KMK 12-Week Challenge, please feel free to join our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/kotahimanokaika. You can give us regular updates on your weekly tasks and also find other participants to discuss your ups-and-downs with!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128690997173585

Thanks Keela and the KMK team

mirror time

It takes three generations to ensure a language survives. You learn and use and you teach your children and then they teach their children and if that has been achieved, your mokopuna's teach their children and the language is safe. How many of us are even attempting that? If we don't - what does that say about us. When are we going to take action, when are we going to realise that it is up to us to save our language - it is up to us TODAY.

From NZH

"With numbers of fluent speakers dropping from 70,000 in the 1970s to just 18,000, revitalisation was still finely balanced, he said.

However, Massey University academic Dr Rangi Mataamua described the situation as alarming and said radical re-directing of funding to programmes that emphasised use was needed immediately.

"I think the situation is desperate and I think Maori can't use the excuse any more that, 'Oh, I can't speak it because my koro was smacked'.

"We're all responsible for our language. If you can't speak it, learn it. If you can't be bothered about it, then don't pretend you're enthusiastic about it. What makes us Maori isn't the colour of our skin or the tattoo on your arm, it's the language - and the ability to express our thoughts and hopes and desires in our own language."

Kaore ano kia tino hoki mai te reo Maori i te mate, i muri i te hekenga o te tokomaha o nga kaikorero i te 70,000 i nga tau 1970 ki te 18,000, e ai ki a Erima.

Heoi ano, na te kaiako o Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa na Takuta Rangi Mataamua i ki, me ohorere ka tika te tangata i enei ahuatanga, a, me tino whakatikatika te whakahangai i nga putea ki nga hotaka e whakamahia ai te reo i te tuatahi, inaia tonu nei.

"Kei te tino morearea te ahua o te reo ki ahau, a, ki a ahau me mutu inaianei te karo a te Maori i ki ra tatou 'ko au tetahi kaore e mohio ki te korero Maori na te mea i patua taku koro i te kura'.

"Te tikanga kei tena kei tena o tatou te kawenga mo te reo, ki te kore koe e korero Maori, akona. Mehemea kaore koe e aronui mai, kaua e rupahu ki te tangata he kaitautoko koe i te reo.

"Ko te ahua o te Maori ehara i te tae o te kiri, i te moko ranei kei te kiri o te ringaringa.

Ko te reo te tino ahua Maori o te tangata - ko to tatou reo ake hei rerenga korero kawe i nga whakaaro, i nga tumanako, i nga moemoea ki te ao."

It is up to all of us to save our taonga - give te reo a go, enjoy the weather in maori and the correct names for our places, use our language - don't be discouraged - keep trying.

communication with coaches

Sometimes a news story isn't really a story but within the non-story is an interesting angle that could be a story.

Case in point

From SST

"Former Kiwi Richie Blackmore has been overturned as head coach of the new Manukau provincial rep side – partly because he doesn't speak Maori.

Directors of the Counties Manukau zone board vetoed a New Zealand Rugby League appointments panel recommendation to give the job to Blackmore, head coach of top Auckland club Otahuhu.

One of three reasons they cited in a report written on the coaching u-turn was that their preferred candidate, Rusty Matua, spoke fluent Maori and had an understanding of tikanga.

Both coaches are Maori; Blackmore has served as assistant coach of New Zealand Maori.

Looks like a story

"Despite referring to the language issue in the written report, zone board chairman Ken Lotu-Liga said the factor of Matua's fluency in te reo Maori had been "taken out of context and wasn't really factored in the decision"

Lotu-Liga couldn't be reached yesterday, but told today's Sunday News: "People have said that this [speaking Maori] is something that he [Rusty] can do, but realistically it wasn't really part of the main decision as to why he was selected. It's been read incorrectly. It was part of what he can do in terms of listing his skills that he can bring to the job."

Nah not really a story - or perhaps the story is about imposing something on others without proper consultation, or maybe personalities. Nevertheless some have waded into the fray.

"Former Kiwis coach Frank Endacott slammed the decision as "ridiculous".

"That's ridiculous if it was used as a criteria. I don't believe that should be the case for missing a job," he said. "If that is the case, then it is discrimination at its worst.

"It is up to the zone board to make their own decisions, but if that was one of the criteria why one coach got it over another, I think it is totally out of order. I am a Pakeha and have coached Maori and Island players all my life and never had a problem communicating... so that leaves me absolutely stunned."

And for me a story could start here - how can frank say that he has coached these players without knowing their language and, "there has never been a problem communicating" How would you know frank - you can't speak the language. There is much that is being missed, much that cannot be communicated in english. It would seem like a good idea that top coaches DO learn te reo so that they can help their charges achieve their potential. How great would it be to have all of the top teams and coaches speaking te reo - for the sporties - that would help everyone win. It would be a strategic and tactical advantage. For the rest of us it would be a bridge building exercise that would help bind this country together.

If they started now the all blacks might be ready to sing in te reo by the time the cup comes along.

teach maori history to bind us together

I agree with this call - seriously how much maori history or history from a maori persepctive did you learn in school? If NONE then that was more than most. It is not good enough. There is rich and interesting history that is OUR history. This maori history is our history - the history of our country, our land.

I would like to see maori history and perspectives as COMPULSORY for all students in this country including english language students, hell - I'd make it compulsory for ALL PEOPLE. Tax breaks when you can recite your whakapapa, or korero in te reo or explain the history of the region you live in. I wonder how many rich people would get the tax breaks then!

Imagine how great this country will be when we are all paddling the waka in unison.

From Waatea News Update

"The head of Maori and Ethnic studies at Canterbury University is backing his counterpart at Victoria University in attacking the quality of history taught in schools.

Rawiri Taonui says Peter Adds is right to say race relations is the loser if children leave school without ever getting a Maori perspective on history.

He says while understanding of Maori culture and language has improved dramatically over the past couple of decades, the new perspectives on history which have come out of the bicultural Waitangi Tribunal investigation process have not made their way into the syllabus.

“If you say to people what happened at the battle of Orakau where Rewi Maniapoto, two or three hundred of his people were killed trying to escape, what happened at Ngatapa where Maori were stripped naked and thrown from cliffs, what happened at Hanley’s Shed in the Whanganui-Taranaki district where colonial cavalry, some of whom were decorated later, charged down a small group of 8-10 year small boys and hacked them to death with sabers. People just don't know that,” Mr Taonui says.

If the public knew more about the history of te Urewera, its attitude toward's Tuhoe's claim for the national park might be quite different.

How do we make positive change in this country? How do we empower indigenous people? How do we respect and support maori? This is one place to start. Let us all learn the history of this land, the people, the legends. This country did not begin in 1840 and it is time we actualised that into our learning at school.

leave the macrons alone

This is weird.

macrons are used to denote the sound that should be pronounced - a word with a macron in is different to a word without - they have completely different meanings they are different words. Like chalk and cheese.

From Stuff

"Councillor Tony Jack put forward a notice of motion that the council refrain from using macrons in the spelling of Kapiti, Otaki or Paekakariki in any council papers, publications, maps or signage.

Why would this person even suggest this?"

Laziness or craziness - either way not on.

"The motion was strongly opposed by most councillors and labelled "offensive" and "disrespectful" by the sole Maori representative at last week's meeting, Andre Baker, who was supported by two Maori women who burst into song.

Councillor Peter Daniel voted against the motion. "How do we know how to pronounce the names unless there is a macron?"

Mr Baker, the Otaki Community Board chairman, stressed that the Maori language was a gift, and opposed the motion. "I ask you to consider this before you tell Maori how to use their own language. You are doing a huge disservice to our tangata whenua.

"It is really disrespectful and offensive to my community. We are very proud our community clearly identifies with Maori, Chinese and non-Maori and of our bilingual initiative."

Mr Baker told mayor Jenny Rowan that the council needed to work harder on its partnership with tangata whenua. "If this had been dealt with in an appropriate manner I would not be here trying to justify the gift."

Work harder to be in partnership with maori - respect the customs and the knowledge of maori and your community will prosper and flourish.

Kura Reo Kāi Tahu 2010

Fantastic event

Kura Reo Kāi Tahu 2010

This reo wānaka on Kāi Tahu history and dialect, whakataukī/whakatauākī and kīwaha, tikaka and kawa, creative writing and composition, and kapa haka.

Each morning there will be a tikaka and kawa session with Kāi Tahu kaumātua, which will be a total immersion setting. Afternoons are set aside for classes specifically about te reo, where there are two streams – bi-lingual and total immersion.

There are classes for tamariki. Taina (0-4 year olds) and Tuākana (5-14 year olds). Please note that the child/ren must be able to converse in te reo Māori at all times, if not then your child/ren will not be able to attend this reo wānaka.

Āhea: 17 – 22 January 2010
Ki hea: Te Hapa o Niu Tireni Marae, Arowhenua

There are limited spaces for each class, this is due to teaching space and accommodation available at the marae.

Reo Rua: 20
Reo Rumaki: 35
Taina (Tamariki): 10
Tuākana (Tamariki): 25

For more information email whetu.moataane@ngaitahu.iwi.nz

Tau ke Whetū and the team

raising bilingual tamariki Pt 3

Keep listening, keep trying, keep up the good work to protect our language.

Good job Radio NZ National, that really does sound like us

I really have to say a big thank you to Radio New Zealand National. The effort that they have put in to get their announcers to speak Te Reo is outstanding. And offers a good example of what can be done. It is so great to hear our language on the radio. Just as impressive is the wide range of audio files available so it is easy to listen again to programmes you missed. Their maori archive is extensive and interesting. The last one I listened to was from Sunday with Chris Laidlaw. He had maori MP's talking about a recent maori parlimentarian conference they had been to. Its well worth a listen.

Lets get rid of the no-names

This is a big one for me.

"The New Zealand Geographic Board is looking for alternative Maori names for the North and South Islands and also wants to make their English names official."

I cannot see what the problem is with Te Wai Pounamu and Te Ika a Maui. Lets ditch the stupid north and south island rubbish. Let's get rid of those nothing names. Let's not get distracted by the people who will try to distract us or put alternatives up.

"The board was looking for alternative names, which would mean that either the English names or the Maori names could be used, or they could be used together. That was different to dual naming, where both names were used together in official documents such as maps, he said."

If the north and south no-names are retained then that will be further evidence about how non-maori see maori in this country. Check out the comments here if you are unsure about this.

Whanganui forever

Tititea

Michael Laws lays out his case in the SST for the rejection of the H being added to Whanganui.
Sorry Michael, my comments in red

"... The facts of the matter are well established. Maori did not have a written language when Pakeha settlers and missionaries arrived in this country. Their oral language had a number of distinct and geographically different dialects. As a consequence, the early transcription of the Maori language picked up some of those inflections and dialects. Wanganui was one - where the so- called silent 'h' not only was not sounded, but it did not exist. It couldn't. No written language existed. The sound existed Michael even though it was hard to represent with clumsy english letters.
And so local Maori did not object - in 1830, 1840 or 1850 - when the written "Wanganui" was created. It was as the ear - Maori and Pakeha - heard it. They might have other concerns - like surviving.
But then something else happened. Common usage gave the word its own meaning, its own identity, its own mana. Sorry Michael you can't take a maori concept that derives from maori experience, identity and worldview, and appropriate it to bolster your argument. The fact is that common usage has not given the misspelled name mana. Even had a written language existed, 170 years of use and heritage created this identity that we now know as "Wanganui". One might argue that the word is derived from Maori - and now our city and district transcends its lexicographical origins. So, 170 years have created the identity of Wanganui and because of that, the name deserves to remain. Just one big glaring problem - why not apply the same argument to the original inhabitants, that lived loved and died in Whanganui for 1000 or so years. Why are your rights more important than theirs? 1000 years of use and heritage created the identity of Whanganui not the last 170 years.
Generation after generation of Wanganui people have been born, schooled, have worked, loved, lost, created families and died with this shared heritage of a common place and a common name. It is as much non-Maori birthright as it is Maori. No one ethnicity can demand a precedence - it is our shared experience and heritage... " As above Michael, as above.

The real problem is that Michael and others always percieve any movement towards maoritanga as exclusive and seperating when the truth is that it is inclusive, expansive and connecting.

Michael did raise some interesting points in his rant. Of interest was the makeup of the NZ Geographic Board.

"Members
Ms Sylvia Allan
Dr Sir Tipene O'Regan
Dr Wharehuia Milroy
Mr David Barnes
Dr Kay Booth
Dr Apirana Mahuika
Professor Michael Roche
Mr David Mole (LINZ official)

Members are nominated or recommended by the following:
Federated Mountain Clubs
New Zealand Geographical Society
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
Minister of Māori Affairs
Minister for Land Information
Local Goverment New Zealand."

Great to see Ngai Tahu there.

Finally, this is what this board does, and this:

"Last April the board ditched a proposal to rename Mt Aspiring/Tititea several variations of Hillary's name, including Mt Hillary/Tititea or Tititea/Mt Hillary or Mt Sir Edmund Hillary/Tititea or Tititea/Mt Sir Edmund Hillary."

If names need be changed I say they should only and always go to the maori name.

50 million ways to make me your lover

Here is an alternative idea to use the 50 million, that no final decision has been made on yet, for the building of the House of Tahu.

Get serious about our language

It's great to see young Ngai Tahu who can speak the language. For many older iwi members there has not been the opportunity to learn, and now many in their 30's, 40's and 50's would love to learn, if it was made easier.

I think one of the big barriers is money. It's is difficult to imagine going to college for a year to learn Te reo, on a student income or maybe using savings. How can someone take time off their job to do the hours needed to learn. I don't think 2 hours a week at Te reo class can do the job unfortunately.

So if we take the 50 million and cut it into 50 x 1 million pieces we have 1 million a year to spend for 50 years. That should make the whole thing totally funded. Take the 1 million and cut it so that you provide a full scholarship for 12 people of $50,000 each. Everyone gets $50,000 to offset, during the full years learning, their income.

Everything can be measured and the 12 people will have to do the learning otherwise the money is refunded on a prorata basis. That is $600 thousand. The other $400 thousand or so is used to pay tutors, resources etc.

Part of the deal is that the learners must go back into their communities and teach other Ngai Tahu. At the end of the first 12 months we have 12 good speakers going back into their communities and teaching our language. Another 12 people begin the program. The initial 12 do more advanced courses similar to the current good offerings.

At the end of 24 months we have another 12 starting and so on. All for very little money.

All of the figures can be adjusted to get the mix right. You can have 20 people for a shorter total investment period. You could give people $60,000 instead of $50,000. You could even pay the $50,000 for 3 years so that the learners can really become teachers. It doesn't really matter, the pool is big enough to absorb all of the adjustments.

It could be done and it would dramatically increase the self confidence of Ngai Tahu whanui in a very short period of time.