TE AHU REI

Talk to us about how you began learning your reo?

The earliest memories of my exposure to the reo were from my childhood. I was the only one of fourteen children born at Waiokura Pā on the outskirts of Manaia in Taranaki and raised in the family homestead until we moved into our new Māori Affairs home in the Manaia township. Our pahake were still alive when we were young and while kui Te Hāwea and koro Tamanui never spoke to us directly, they conversed with our father on a regular basis. Te Hāwea and Tamanui adopted our Dad as a young boy. She was the sister of our paternal grandfather Te Ahu. Dad and his tuakana Niu Tīreni were the only one’s of fourteen children who retained the reo as they were both adopted. I believe my solo journey into the world of learning te reo me ōna tikanga was anticipated well before my birth and unfortunately that lonely journey continues today as my siblings have no real desire or interest in pursuing the language and customs. There is however, some light being shed with the next generation who are the kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa graduates. In saying that however, they form a very small percentage of reo speakers as the majority of Māori children today, still attend mainstream schools.

Tell us about those whom have contributed the most to your reo journey?

The pahake whom I most admired growing up are long gone but they left an indelible impression on my heart and mind. Our elders, many of whom were kuia, were very accepting, patient and tolerant. They seldom spoke about things like; ‘aroha, manaakitanga, whakaiti, kia pūmau ki te kaupapa’ but they were great role models and led by example. Their teachings still guide me in many of my decisions today.

What have been the most significant challenges in yours or your whānau learning journey?

A significant personal challenge came when we made the decision to raise our children speaking Māori. That was significant for many reasons, including keeping abreast of the children with our own progress and development in the reo . Therefore, as parents we needed to commit ourselves to learning the reo and being in an environment with other like-minded parents. And being involved in a supportive community of Māori speaking people, which was quite difficult in a place like Palmerston North.

Why is the reo important to you, to us?

The learning of ‘te reo me ōna tikanga’ forms the basis of one’s identity. In the words of the great statesman Sir James Hēnare, ‘Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori – The language is the life force of Māori existence’. For without it, one will struggle to gain an insight into the depth and breadth of the Māori worldview.

What does ‘Tama tū ki Te Tauihu, Tama ora ki te ao’ mean for you and/or your whānau?

For me and my whānau, the slogan above provides us with a connection to Ngāti Tama on all levels. It provides the basis for learning our language and customs and seeks to restore the imbalance that has been evident for many years.

‘Tama tū ki te Tauihu, Tama ora ki te ao’ is about the future of Ngāti Tama and securing our linguistic and cultural place in Te Tauihu and the wider community going forward.