Māori language (te reo Māori) is being given a local boost by the growth in Te Ao Māori at Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC), as well as the increasingly visible presence of the school’s kapa haka group.

The role of Te Ao Māori and kapa haka is growing in the school community, and the school wharenui (meeting house, which was opened at the beginning of 2023) provides a focal point.

The Wānaka App visited the wharenui ('Te Puna Wānaka') on Tuesday afternoon (September 17) - during the nationwide Māori Language Week (Te Wiki o te Reo Māori).

“It’s really special to have this space here,” MAC Te Ao Māori teacher Candace Carroll said.

Te Reo teacher Raihania Chadwick weaving flax baskets (kono) with year 13 students Sacha (left) and Tai.

The wharenui is used for kapa haka practice, Māori performing arts, and language classes, and has been used to host visiting groups.

Candace said the kapa haka group caters for students from year 7-13, and it performs five or six times a year at community events, such as the powhiri for new Cardrona staff, and the recent opening of the Snow Farm’s new base building. 

On Tuesday, the focus was on poi.

Thirteen-year-old Alice Chaly said she “really enjoyed” being involved with kapa haka, adding the indigenous culture is “more celebrated here” than in her native Australia.

Alice said the community aspect of kapa haka was a drawcard. “We’ve got a close bond,” she said.

MAC has events running throughout Māori Language Week - including flax weaving and poi practice - organised by MAC’s student-led cultural committee.  

Today (Wednesday September 18) MAC’s annual house haka competition will take place, and this evening the term’s whānau hui will be held. On Friday the kapa haka group will visit Te Kura Take Kārara, helping “build connections” between the schools.

MAC head Te Reo Māori teacher Kaz Roberts said she had seen “a lot of positive change” during her time at MAC, and was grateful for a senior leadership team “that has supported kaupapa Māori initiatives”. 

“Te Reo Māori is a compulsory part of our junior curriculum and students are able to take Te Reo right through to NCEA Level 3,” she said.

“We are fortunate to be able to introduce Māori Performing Arts into our junior modules and we are starting to see benefits school wide. For example, we are developing our cultural competency in upskilling our students and staff in how to welcome visitors with a mihi whakatau or pōwhiri.

“It has been fabulous seeing other learning areas implementing different tasks and using Te Reo Māori such as a PE class that were using mau rakau at Lismore Park [on Wednesday morning]. All of this helps to normalise Te Reo Māori and weave it back into something that connects us all as New Zealanders.”

Every year since 1975 New Zealand has marked Te Wiki o te Reo Māori - a time for all New Zealanders to celebrate te reo Māori and to use more Māori phrases in everyday life. 

This year's theme (September 14-21) is 'Ake ake ake – A Forever Language’. 

PHOTOS: Wānaka App