Speaker Communities Helping To Revitalise Te Reo Māori

Te Ataarangi ki Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui is on a mission to foster and promote te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori in Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui, or across the top of the South Island.

The organisation, based in Motueka, provides low-cost immersion teaching and learning courses, programmes, activities and gatherings open to all learners, including rumaki reo (total immersion), night classes, and weekend wānanga. By improving access to learning te reo me ōna tikanga (customs and protocols relating to the use of the language), the aim of Te Ataarangi is to strengthen reo capacity amongst whānau, hapū, iwi and communities.

Te Ataarangi ki Te Tauihu o Te Waka-ā-Māui is a regional body of the Te Ataarangi movement. In over 40 years since it was first established, Te Ataarangi has taught thousands of adults to speak Māori, contributing to the revitalisation of the Māori language, says Te Ataarangi Kaiwhakahaere Hine McLetchie. "The flexibility and range of our programmes empower participants to grow in confidence and develop a stronger sense of belonging and cultural identity."

For participants of Te Ataarangi ki Te Tauihu o Te Waka-ā-Māui, a highlight of the year is Oranga Reo at Waikawa Marae. "Oranga Reo is four days long and is an extended immersion opportunity for people to come and kōrero Māori anake, kei runga i te marae to develop skills, knowledge and confidence in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga," says Hine.

Activities at this noho include learning the steps required for hāngi, preparing a hāngi for the group, and an amazing race through Picton. All of the noho is delivered to participants in an immersive te reo Māori environment.

"The aspirations I have for the participants is that they strengthen their language, but also that they strengthen their relationships amongst each other, making connections - what we call ‘building speaker communities’ - which is part of the revitalisation of te reo movement," says Hine.

Participant Colleen Kem says the kaupapa of Te Ataarangi is to learn through speaking. "The whole thing about Te Ataarangi is that it’s not written, you have to listen and kōrero and repeat back. Because you kōrero Māori, you pick up where you may have gone wrong. It makes you correct yourself by listening to others and yourself. It’s also step by step and not rushed and set in a format so you get the sentence structures and grammar correct."

Another participant, Jim Skipper, says: "Ko tēnei te tau tuatahi i roto au i Te Ataarangi. I haere mātou taku hoa rangatira taku tamāhine. Tēnā taku mōhio taku wawata ki te kōrero i te reo Māori. Kei te kōrero ki aku mokopuna hoki. Tino ātaahua tō tātou reo, tino ātaahua."

("This year is my first year joining Te Ātaarangi. My spouse, my daughter and I went. I knew that my aspiration was to speak in the Māori language. I’m also speaking to my grandchildren. Our language is incredibly beautiful, so very beautiful.")

Rātā Foundation has supported Te Ataarangi in various ways over the years, including helping the organisation to establish its central teaching facility over 20 years ago. Most recently the organisation received support as part of Rātā Foundation’s Multi-Year funding programme.

Hine says: "Our plan on the horizon is to focus on Nelson over the next three years, training new kaiako and building speaker communities in the area, and supporting those who have some reo and wish to carry on their journey."

As part of Rātā Foundation’s Strengthening the Sector funding programme, Te Ataarangi will also focus on building capacity of the organisation in the use of matihiko whakahaere, online teaching and learning platforms.

Rāta Foundation Chief Executive Leighton Evans says: "Rātā aims to support organisations that enable people facing barriers to participate in sport, active recreation and cultural activities, because we know this can enhance health and wellbeing outcomes in communities.

"Providing long-term support to organisations which align with the Rātā purpose offers stability and certainty, enabling them to focus on their effectiveness and extend the impact they have in communities of need. We are also very focused on empowering organisations to build capability and capacity, to better position these organisations for the future."

To find out more about Te Ataarangi, watch the video here.

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