TÁ TE POUHERE Nó Ihowa te kóroia o te rangi me te whenua kia whakapaingia tóna ingoa tapu i ngá wá katoa.
It is a pleasure to introduce this special edition of KA MÏHARO – dedicated, for the most part, to the anniversary of the opening of O-Täwhao Marae.
E mihi ana ki a Kíngi Tuheitia e noho ana i te taumata o óna túpuna, o tóna whaea. Pai márire.
This occasion marks a milestone for our institution, a time of celebration, but also a time to reflect on the contributions of those visionaries who are no longer with us to mark this event.
Ko te haku o te ngákau mó te iwi koua riro ki tawhiti e kore e mutu – haere, haere, whakangaro atu rá. Ko rátou ki a rátou, tátou ki a tátou, tihewá he mauri ora! E mihi ana i te rá whakanui i te rua tekau má rima o ngá tau o O-Táwhao. Ka tika, kua noho ko ia hei whakamihatanga má tátou óna rau iwi e marau ana ki te iwi ná rátou ó rátou ngákau i titi kaha ki tóna papa, ki óna pou, ki óna heke, kia tú mai ia hei whakaruruhau mó te tini, á, haere ake nei. Nó reira, kia kaua rawa e wareware i a tátou tó tátou whare, nóna ngá túmanako ó rátou má i hihiri i kikipa – anei te whakatínanatanga ko Te Wánanga o Aoteroa e tú nei.
It has been 25 years since O-Täwhao Marae was opened - a quarter of a century since a hardy few, Rongo Wetere, Marie Panapa (Aunty Ma), Mac Bell, Barry Hopkins, the late Boy (Kohuru Rokapa) Mangu and Rewi Panapa, set about putting substance to a vision that would impact the lives of the many hundreds of thousands of tauira who have re-engaged and changed their lives for the better through education. The passage of time has shown the objections of those in the community who opposed this project to be unfounded. Time has also allowed us to follow the progress of the once-troubled youths who rose to the challenge of constructing this marae. They are now adult members of communities throughout the motu. Time has provided substance to those visionaries’ dreams of a solution to stem the stream of young people falling through cracks in the mainstream education system.
The construction of O-Täwhao Marae required passion, commitment, tenacity and mana. And it required the dedication and single-mindedness of those hardy few who never lost sight of their goal. This edition of KA MÏHARO is dedicated to those staunch champions who wanted to change the lives of our young people, and who went on to spawn the revolution in education that is Te Wänanga o Aotearoa. I tautoko you all, and I thank you for your essential mahi. Thank you to all who played their part in the development of O-Täwhao Marae, and to those who have helped ensure this 25th anniversary is one to remember. Thank you also to those who have shaped the stories in this edition of KA MÏHARO that is dedicated to this momentous event. “He rau ringa i oti ai e – Through many hands the goal was achieved.” Kia tau te mauri.
Bentham Ohia Te Pouhere, Te Wänanga o Aotearoa.
TÁ TE POUHERE
NGAHURU Autumn
KA MÍHARO
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