Hou mai: Discovering Māori medium education

This resource for Māori Medium Education is inspired by King Tāwhiao’s vision that Māori self-determination is a fine house that is built by the people from the most humble woods.

"Māku anō e hanga tōku nei whare, 
Ko te tāhuhu he hīnau,
Ko ngā poupou he māhoe, he patatē."

If you are considering the benefits of a Māori education for your whānau, we invite you to enter this whare kōrero. It is a house of opinion and discussion that we hope inspires you.

Te Reo Māori

He mea whakamanawa mai tēnei rauemi mā te Kaupapa Arareo Mātauranga Māori, i te tongi a Kīngi Tāwhiao mō te hanga a te tangata i tōna whare rangatira i ngā rākau iti nei.

"Māku anō e hanga tōku nei whare, 
Ko te tāhuhu he hīnau,
Ko ngā poupou he māhoe, he patatē."

Mehemea kei te whakaarohia e koe ngā painga o te whai mātauranga Māori mō tō whānau, tēnā tomokia tēnei o ngā whare kōrero. He whare tuku whakaaro, whakawhiti kōrero hoki, māna hoki koe e whakamanawa.

These 26 short video messages are for parents who are perhaps unsure about what Māori education for their children might mean. It is for those who are interested but not yet convinced that such an education will address their own family needs. A range of parents and teachers present these messages. They have all faced their own fears, lack of knowledge, and at times acute embarrassment in their journey with Māori education. Their messages are divided into four themes:

1. The value of a personal commitment to the language.
2. Support that exists for those who face the challenges of learning.
3. The potential we all have to create and live in our own Māori space.
4. Through language we discover ourselves and our place in the world. 

Each theme is supported by personal perspectives on the Māori language offered by Ruakere Hond and Mataia Keepa. 

Te Reo Māori

Mā ngā mātua e noho matawaenga ki te whai mātauranga Māori mō ā rātou tamariki ēnei karere ataata poto 26 nei. Tērā rātou e aro ana ki tēnei huarahi whai mātauranga engari kāore anō kia manawatau mā reira e ea ai ngā hiahiatanga o ō rātou whānau. Whānui ana te āhua o te hunga mātua, kaiako anō e tuku ana i ēnei karere. I puta mai ko rātou katoa i te mataku, i te kore mōhio, i te whakamā tonu i tō rātou whai i te huarahi mātauranga Māori. Heoi, kua whakaritea kia whā ngā kaupapa o ā rātou karere: 

• Ko te whai hua o te manawanui ki te reo.
• Ko ngā taituarā mō te hunga e mate ana i ngā whakataratara o te ako.
• Ko ō tātou pūkenga tonu hei hanga kāinga noho Māori nei mō tātou.
• Mā te reo e mōhio rawa ai tātou ki a tātou anō me te wāhi anō ki a tātou i te ao nei. 

Ka tautokona ko ia kaupapa e ngā whakaaro ake o Ruakere Hond rāua ko Mataia Keepa mō te reo Māori. 

Our Māori language is a major social resource. Not only does it empower our self-identification as Māori, it enables thinking and action that enhances our well-being, and the security of our future.

Te reo Māori inspires and defines our development as a distinct people. Our traditional focus on the concept of whānau; protects us from political and economic ideologies that favour the importance of the individual over that of the group.     

The most important educational environment is within the whānau. It is where we first learn how to learn. It is the safest and best place to learn language. Today, whānau takes many shapes. 

With an understanding of our language comes the ability to fashion a Māori worldview. A unique and genuine indigenous perspective has profound benefits in every area of life and death. If the language dies: so too will a greater part of our humanity.

Their messages in this resource touch on important themes of personal courage, group support, action and analysis, integrity and humility. 

The contributors to HOU MAI talk of the power and excitement of Māori identity, exploration and achievement. We welcome you to their world. 

Mauriora ki a tātou.

Te Reo Māori

He kaupapa nui tonu tō tātou reo Māori hei oranga mō te iwi. Māna e mana ai ko tātou hei Māori anō, māna hoki e puta ai te whakaaro, e takatū ai ki te mahi e whai oranga ai tātou, tau ai te noho haere ake nei. 

Ko tā te reo Māori he whakamanawa, he whakatau i tō tātou whanaketanga hei iwi motuhake tonu. He tikanga tuku iho tā tātou noho hei whānau; mā kōnei e manaakitia ai te katoa, kāore e hinga i te aronga nui kia whai mana ai, kia whai rawa ai te kotahi.

Ko te wāhi me tino whai tikanga te whai mātauranga ko te whānau. Ako tuatahi ai tātou i reira me pēhea te ako. Koirā hoki te wāhi whakaruruhau ki te ako reo. Heoi anō he maha ngā momo o te whānau i ēnei rā.

Mā te mārama ki tō tātou reo e āhei ai ki te whakatipu i te tirohanga Māori nei. Ka nui te mana o te whaihua o tēnei tū tirohanga iwi taketake mai, tūturu iho mō te ora, mō te mate anō. Ki te mate te reo: ka mate hoki te matua o tō tātou mauri tangata. 

Ka whai wāhi ā rātou karere i tēnei rauemi ki ngā kaupapa nui o te māia o te tangata, o te tautoko a te rōpū, o te mahi me te wānanga, o te mana me te hūmārie. 

E kōrero ana ngā kaituku kōrero ki a HOU MAI mō te mana me te ihi o te whakapapa Māori, o te torotoronga, o te whakatutukitanga hoki. Nau mai ki tō rātou ao. 

Mauriora ki a tātou.