Māori Girls' School to Celebrate 150 Years of Māori Language

Māori Girls' Boarding School to Celebrate 150 Years of Māori Language Champions

2017 will mark 150 years of advocacy and support for the Māori language by New Zealand's oldest Māori girls' boarding school, St Joseph's Māori Girls' College. The school has chosen Māori Language Week to launch their online pre-registration form for those interested in attending the 150th jubilee celebrations to be held on the weekend of 6–8 October 2017.

St Joseph's Māori Girls College located in Napier boasts an impressive line-up of alumni and Māori language champions, including the first president of the Māori Women's Welfare League Dame Whina Cooper, foundation board member of the Māori Language Commission Dame Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira as well as current Māori Language Commission board member Professor Rawina Higgins who has played a significant role in the establishment of the new Māori language body, Te Mātāwai.

St Joseph's Māori Girls' College was established in 1867 by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Mission who hailed from France. Although English was the required language of instruction, the French speaking sisters are said to have empathised with their Māori students' difficulty with adhering to the "English only" rule as they similarly found it a challenge not being permitted to speak their first language.

It is this spirit of advocacy and support for the girls and their culture that has enabled generations of young Māori women from all over the country (and across the world) to thrive academically and take pride in their heritage. This perhaps no better illustrated than in 1999 when past-pupil Hinewehi Mohi insisted upon singing the national anthem in te reo Māori. A stand which was contentious at the time but which eventually resulted in the anthem now being sung in both Māori and English.

Today, Māori language is compulsory at the school and although it is now a second language for many of the girls they continue to be supported to develop their language skill and are achieving excellent results. Girls from the school gained first place in three out of four sections of the Ngā Manu Kōrero Regional Speech Competitions held in Taradale, Napier last week.

Jubilee Committee Chairperson and past-pupil Julie Tangaere says Māori language and culture has always been recognised as an integral part of the school. "We are proud of the contribution our girls have made to the Māori language and culture. We are looking forward to honouring our school and celebrating this special milestone together in 2017."

St Joseph's Māori Girls' College will celebrate this Māori Language Week with their annual group kapa haka Festival which will be held this Saturday at the Napier Municipal Theatre .

The jubilee pre-registration form is now available and will be on the school website until the end of the school year. The jubilee programme will be confirmed in February 2017.

ENDS

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