Ko Te Tauihu-o-Te-Waka-a-Māui tētahi o ngā tini rohe i pāngia kinotia ki te whakamōtī o te reo Māori. Nā ngā āhuatanga o te wā kua riro nei mā tēnā iwi, mā tēnā iwi tōna anō huarahi e para ki te whakarite rautaki whakarauora i te reo Māori e tāmatemate nei. Heoi anō, arā tonu ētahi mahi e taea nei e tātau katoa.

Hiamo ana a Ngāti Apa ki Te Rā Tō me Rangitāne o Wairau i te whakahaere ngātahitia o te hui whakarauora reo tuatahi ka tū ki tēnei rohe. He mea tapa e Ahorangi Tā Tīmoti Kāretu te ingoa nei o Te Kaiaotanga o Te Reo. Ko tāna he whakaaweawe i ngā māngai reo o te rohe mā te tono mai i ētahi o ngā mātanga reo rongonui o te motu.

E whai nei tēnei hui, ka rua rā te roa e tū nei ki Wairau ā te 19 me te 20 o Haratua, ki te whakamana i ngā toka tū moana reo o te rohe e whakaheke mōtuhi nei i roto i ngā mahi whakarauora. E whai hoki nei kia whakapūmau i te tohaina o aua mātauranga ki te hapori whānui o Te Tauihu.

Te Tauihu-o-Te-Waka-a-Māui is one of many regions to have experienced the devastating loss of Māori language. We stand in a time when tribes must embark on their own journey to develop revitalisation strategies aimed at saving te reo Māori from the brink of extinction.

But there are things we can do together.

Ngāti Apa ki Te Rā Tō and Rangitāne o Wairau are thrilled to work collaboratively to facilitate the first Māori language symposium to be held within the region. Named by language champion, Sir Tīmoti Kāretu, Te Kaiaotanga o Te Reo aims to inspire local language advocates by enlisting some of the country’s greatest known language exponents.

This two-day symposium, to be held in Blenheim on May 19 and 20, 2021, aims to both empower local language stalwarts who are working hard at the helm of revitalisation efforts and also ensure related mātauranga is shared with the wider Te Tauihu community.

Ngā kaikōrero |Speakers

Tā Tīmoti Kāretu (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu)
Scotty Morrison (Ngāti Whakaue) & Stacey Morrison (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tahu)
Hēmi Kelly (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tahu – Ngāti Whāoa)
Annette Sykes (Ngāti Pikiao me Ngāti Makino)
Te Haakura Ihimaera-Manley rāua ko Atareta Milne (Te Arawa)
Tukiterangi & Renata Curtis (Ngāti Rongomai ki Rotorua)
Kiley Nepia (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Rangitanē, Ngāti Kuia)
Jeremy Tātere MacLeod (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu)