New Chair for Māori Language Commission

Pānui Pāpāho 27 Pipiri 2018 News release 27 June 2018

Te Toihau Hou | New Chair for Māori Language Commission

Nei te reo tāwhiri o Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori ki a Rawinia Higgins te Toihau hou o te Poari Kaiwhiri.

Ki tā te Tumuaki a Ngahiwi Apanui: “He kaiarataki mātauranga whare wānanga a Ahorangi Higgins, he tohunga ia i ngā mahi whakarauora reo, otirā, kua roa nei tōna whānau e takoha ana ki te rauoratanga o te Reo Māori.. Ko ia tētahi o ngā kaihoahoa o Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora koira te pou tarāwaho kaupapahere e ārahi ana i te mahi ngātahi i waenga i te Karauna me te Iwi Māori i ngā mahi whakarauora.”

Ko Ahorangi Higgins te wahine tuatahi kia whakatūria ki tēnei tūranga.

Ko tā Ngahiwi: “e hika ka mau te wehi, kua tino eke te wā. Nā te mea e aro ana ki te tūranga whakahirahira a te wāhine Māori i ngā mahi ki te pupuri tonu i te reo Māori. I muri i te 31 tau he rawe rawa atu kua kake mai te wāhine ki te tūranga o te toihau.”

“I pānuitia hoki e te Minita Whanaketanga Māori te hokinga mai o te kaiarataki reo Māori o Ngāi Tahu a Charisma Rangipunga ki te tūranga o te Heamana Tuarua o te Poari Kaiwhiri Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. I whai wāhi atu ēnei wāhine tokorua ki te whakatinanatanga o te ture reo Māori o nāianei i taha o tētahi anō o ngā kaiwhiri o tēnei wā a Charlie Tepana. I runga i tō rāua mōhio ngātahi ki te ture e tino pai ai tā rāua ārahi i te whakahaere.”

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori welcomes Professor Rawinia Higgins as the new chair of its Board of Commissioners.

Chief Executive Ngahiwi Apanui says: “Professor Higgins is a tertiary education leader, an expert in language revitalisation and brings with her a whānau legacy of contribution to the development of te reo Māori. She is also one of the architects of Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora, the policy framework that guides the partnership between the Crown and Māori for revitalisation.”

Professor Higgins is the first woman to be appointed to the position.

Mr Apanui says: “This is wonderful and long overdue. It recognises the important role Māori women have played in the effort to retain te reo Māori. After 31 years it is wonderful to finally have a woman chair.”

“The Minister for Māori Development also announced the reappointment of Ngāi Tahu Māori language leader Charisma Rangipunga as Deputy Chair of the Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori Board of Commissioners. Both of these women contributed to the current Māori language legislation alongside current board member Charlie Tepana. Collectively their knowledge of the legislation will provide strong leadership for the organisation.”

© Scoop Media