This week at Te Rito Harakeke we have celebrated Te Wiki o Te Reo (Māori Language Week). Each hub has been working through activities around learning kupu (words), using kupu, waiata (songs) and history. On Tuesday at 11am each hub assembled outside their hubs and all sang 'Tutira Mai Ngā Iwi' together, it was a spine tingling moment and so beautiful to hear all our tamariki singing together!
One of our activities involved learning about the 50th anniversary of the Māori language petition. On 14 September 1972 representatives of Ngā Tamatoa and Te Rōpū Reo Māori (the Te Reo Māori Society) delivered the Māori language petition, with over 30,000 signatures, to Parliament. The petition asked for active recognition of te reo Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand, and for the language to be taught in schools.
This week there was a national commemoration of this significant anniversary with a public event at Parliament on the 14th September from 11am-1pm.
We have discussed with our tamariki how important it is to keep te reo Māori alive.
Kia kaha Te Reo Māori!