He Huia Kaimanawa

It is an honour to speak on behalf of the Minister of Maori Affairs at this inaugural Māori Language Expo.    Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori has gifted us the name He Huia Kaimanawa for this hui, meaning ‘to be committed to an important topic or cause'.

What greater cause could there be, than the continued collective effort over the last thirty years by many to restore, revitalise, regenerate and sustain and give life to te reo Māori as a living language.  Our ambition is serious - to ensure te reo Maori has purpose, has substance and will continue to endure.

There is a particular pride for us all, in gathering for this inaugural hui at Te Rauparaha Arena, as we think of the distinctive contribution that the haka penned by Te Rauparaha has made in the identification of things Maori with Aotearoa.

Earlier this year, the Treaty Settlement negotiated with Ngati Toa Rangatira agreed that it "record the authorship and significance of the haka" to Ngati Toa.  No other settlement has attempted to deal with intellectual property issues before but for Ngati Toa, it was considered essential to prevent the misappropriation and culturally inappropriate use of the Ka Mate haka.

This is but one of many strategies and initiatives we will hear about over these two days to retain the notion of language excellence, and to preserve the integrity of our culture and our reo.

He Huia Kaimanawa has then, a noble challenge ahead of us - and we plan to achieve it through three key events. 

To start us off, I am proud to announce He Whakairinga Kupu, He Whakapiringa Tangata a symposium:

 The theme for 2009 is "What is Māori Language Excellence?"  with Professor Taiarahia Black being the keynote speaker.  I understand that Taiarahia will use his collection of Tūhoe waiata from his published works ‘Hokia ki ō maunga, kia purea koe e ngā hau a Tāwhirimātea' a collection of Tūhoe based waiata as the catalyst for discussion on Māori language excellence.

I am pleased that the panel comprises both government and Māori language community representatives and I look forward to listening to those discussions if the programme allows.

The second component is Ngā Whetū Koea - An exhibition of Māori language initiatives, innovations and resources that are stimulating, forward thinking and future focussed.

I am told that there are over forty different language stakeholder groups and organisations exhibiting their innovations, ideas and successes in active Māori language regeneration.

I want to congratulate each and every one of you as it is your continued commitment to Māori language regeneration that ensures the survival, sustainability, sustenance and longevity of the Māori language.

The third key event is Ngā Tohu Reo Māori - The Māori Language Awards celebrating those language groups and organisations that have shown committed contributions to Māori language regeneration over the last twelve months. I extend my best wishes to all nominees.

But there are other challenges which face us, outside of these three significant events.

What has been on my mind for several years and remains so now is the question of the strategy that we might have for the language of this generation and future generations.

I am sure we are of one mind, that the language is the key to Maori identity and culture; of that there is no doubt.    Te reo rangatira is the most precious gift our tupuna bequeathed to us to protect, maintain and share with the world.

Government's Vision

As a member of the Government now, I / we are committed to making sure that that happens.

I want to state from the outset our view that hapu and iwi are the most appropriate guardians of their respective reo - and the Crown's duty as a Treaty partner is to assist and support iwi and hapu to fulfil their responsibilities. 

By way of an update, the draft review of the Government's Māori Language Strategy is due shortly to be considered by the Minister of Māori Affairs.  One might ask what relationship the Government's Māori Language Strategy has with the plethora of Māori language strategies that are being implemented by the people and organisations represented at this hui. 

And that's actually the question - how do we coordinate to maximise the potential of resources, of speakers, of excellence, of research, of institutions with various mandates, goals and circumstances.

There is a part in the strategy for us as iwi and hapu, but as a Government representative, I'd ask myself "how will Government agencies be held accountable to the regeneration and sustainability of the Māori language?"  because that is the responsibility.

Or put another way, the question I was to focus on is how the Government sector is held accountable to its own Māori Language Strategy?  And, how is the Government sector is being monitored in terms of its impact on the major contributions from iwi and Māori language communities?

I believe that the next version of the Māori Language Strategy should explicitly address the issues of leadership within the strategy and co-ordination of activities across agencies and sector.   

While we have some excellent resources produced, too often it appears a scatter gun approach is taken without falling into place under the same broad banner.

There has probably never been a better time than now, to do the work necessary to get us from strategy to implementation - and that is the key.

In July the Minister released a set of Maori language research reports which showed that Maori and non-Maori people have increasingly positive attitudes towards te reo Maori, more Maori adults can speak Maori, and te reo Maori is being used more, especially at home and by young children.

These are really exciting results and we must do all that we can to build on the momentum.

And of course, we can never forget that when you start from a base that was the near extinction of te reo Maori, any progress is a step up.

I consider that Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori has a critical role in managing the relationship between Māori and the Crown, and supporting iwi by providing resources into their Māori language strategies.  

As I say, the key is to ensure that all the different strategies are working to the same broad goals.

I am aware that the theme for this symposium is "what is Māori language excellence?"  and that should definitely be supported.

With so many different Māori language stakeholders representing key government sector agencies, iwi and other Māori language communities we can all consider and discuss this and other important questions like:

• How do we contribute to Māori language excellence?

• How do we collectively achieve Māori language excellence?

• How is Maori language excellence making a difference to educational underachievement?

• How do we support our kohanga reo and kura kaupapa Maori to ensure our children are succeeding in environments where Maori language and identity is celebrated?

In case some ask about the lead shown by us as Members of Parliament, let me advise, as of the New Year, Parliament will operate simultaneous translation.   The hope is that this may act as a good example for the country.

What we do know, is that one of the features characterising Maori language provision in 2009 is the sheer wealth of approaches and programmes designed to protect te reo me nga tikanga Maori.   And that's awesome and it's got to continue.

What we want to see is a coordinated approach in which for exampleTe Ataarangi; Puna Reo a Iwi; te Panekiretanga i te reo; te Rangakura; te Whakapakari;  various degrees for teachers of Te reo Maori; te Ipukarea; te Ara Reo and so on,  and all of the other developments across rohe, across sectors, across government are co-ordinated.

Perhaps the time has come for one body to provide impetus and leadership while still being accountable for Government funding and of course outcomes.

A proposal that has come across my desk is to establish a Centre for Maori Language Excellence to coordinate, monitor and report on te reo Maori outcomes.

It might mean a redistribution of the way funding is currently allocated - we need to consider how implementation of the Maori language strategy can be advanced.  

Clearly a silo approach hasn't worked and so we need to summons all our wits around us, to pull together, to be committed to the utterly important cause of safeguarding te reo Maori.

That may mean we need to be prepared for adaptation and change.

But I would remind ourselves that from the days of Maui to the Symposium on Maori Entrepreneurship being held at Te Wananga o Raukawa next month, entrepreneurial activity and innovation is simply part of our cultural makeup.   In other words, the one thing we can all be certain of is the certainty of change.

I leave you then, to consider this tono - whether the time is right to build a Centre for Maori Language Excellence - who, where, what will it do, will it coordinate, monitor, manage, be accountable and so on.  These are the questions I would like to leave with yhu. 

I am anxious to advance the discussion I have brought to this hui today but I want to be guided by the expertise gathered amongst you to provide leadership- whether by people or by paper.

Suffice to say I don't have all the answers, nor does the Government, but we would hope that the contribution from the expertise we have here will take a lead and a paper will find its way to the Minister's table as soon as you are ready.   I can tell you he is waiting.

On that note and on behalf of the Minister of Māori Affairs I am happy to launch this inaugural Māori language expo He Huia Kaimanawa with these fitting words:

Ka mate, ka mate

Ka ora, ka ora

Kia ora tonu ai tō tātou reo taketake

Te reo i tipu mai i tēnei whenua

Te reo Māori

Tēna koutou, tēna koutou, tēna koutou katoa.

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He Huia Kaimanawa

E aku rangatira, he hōnore nui te haere mai ki tēnei Whakakitenga Reo Māori tuatahi hei waha kōrero mō te Minita mō ngā Take Māori. Kua tākoha mai a Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori i te ingoa nei o He Huia Kaimanawa mō tā tātau hui nei. Ko tōna tikanga, ko te ū ki tētahi kaupapa e tino whai take ana.

Kāore i kō atu i tā tātau kaupapa nei, arā ko te whakapaunga kaha o te tokomaha i roto i ngā tau hei whakaora, hei whakapiki, hei whangai i tō tātau reo ki ngā whakatipuranga hei reo kōrero, hei reo ora. Koia anō tā tātau whāinga, kia mau tō tātau reo, kia ita.

Me whakahihi tātau, ka tika, i a tātau e huihui mai nei ki Te Papa o Te Rauparaha, i runga i te whai whakaaro ki te haka i titoa e Te Rauparaha arā, ko te wāhi ki tāna haka hei tohu mō Ngāi Māori ki roto o Aotearoa.

I tēnei tau tonu nei, i āta tohua ki a Ngāti Toa te "ko te kaititotanga me te mana o tēnei haka" ki roto i tāna Whakataunga Take Tiriti.  Kāore anō i tohua tētahi āhuatanga e pēnei ana te āhua ki tētahi Whakataunga Take Tiriti. Heoi anō, hei tā Ngāti Toa, me pēnei rawa te āhua o tā rātau Whakatauranga hei aukati atu i te rironga me te takahanga o te haka nei o ‘Ka Mate'.

Ko tēnei tētahi o ngā tini mahere me ngā tini kaupapa ka rangoa, ka kitea hoki i ngā rua rā nei hei whakaatu i te hiranga o te reo Māori, hei pupuri hoki i te mauri o tō tātau reo me ngā tikanga Māori.

Koinei te wero o He Huia Kaimanawa  - e toru nei ngā wāhanga o tā tātau hui e tutuki ai  tāna kaupapa.  

Hei tīmatanga, nei ka whakapuaki ko He Whakairinga Kupu, He Whakapiringa Tangata. He wānanga tēnei:

Ko te tirohanga mō tēnei tau o 2009, "he aha ia nei te hiranga o te reo Māori?". Ko Ahorangi Taiarahia Black te kaikōrero matua mō tēnei kaupapa. Ki taku rongo, ka kōrero a Tai mō ngā waiata o Tūhoe, e tīkina nei i tāna pukapuka, ko ‘Hokia ki ō maunga, kia purea koe e ngā hau a Tāwhirimātea'. Ka noho tēnei hei kaupapa whiriwhiri kōrero mō te hiranga o te reo Māori.

Nō muri mai, ka whiriwhiri kōrero tētehi paepae kōrero. Ko te painga rā, ka tīkina mai he kaikōrero nō ngā iwi Māori me ngā tari kāwanatanga anō hoki. Kei te kaikā ahau ki te whakarongo ki ā rātau kōrero.

Ko te wāhanga tuarua o tā tātau hui, ko Ngā Whetū Koea - ko te whakakitenga tēnei o ngā kaupapa reo Māori, ngā rauemi me ngā mahi e takea mai nei i ngā taputapu o te ao rorohiko.

Kua rongo ahau, he kō atu i te whā tekau ngā rōpū e whakaatu ana i ā rātau kaupapa, i ā rātau mahi, i ā rātau ekenga taumata hei whakapiki i tō tātau reo Māori.

Kei te whakamihi au ki a koutou katoa. Nā te ū, nā te pukumahi, nā tā koutou whakapaunga werawera, ka piki tō tātau reo Māori ki ōna taumata e tika ana i roto i ngā tau e heke mai ana.

Ko te wāhanga tuatoru, ko Ngā Tohu Reo Māori - he tohu ēnei hei whakanui i ngā mahi a ngā rōpū i whakapau i ō rātau kaha ki te whakapiki i tō tātau reo i te tekau mā rua marama kua huri. Ka nui taku mihi ki a koutou.

Heoi anō, e hoa mā, he nui anō ngā wero kei mua i te aroaro, i tua atu i ēnei wāhanga e toru nei o tā tātau hui.

Kua roa noa atu au e whakaaro ana, he aha te rautaki mō tō tātau reo, mō tēnei whakatipuranga me ngā whakatipuranga e heke mai ana.

Kei te kaha whakapono au, ko tātau katoa kei te whakaaro kotahi e haere ana, arā ko te reo te pūtake o tō tātau tuakiri Māori me ā tātau tikanga. Ko te reo rangatira nei te tino taonga i kohaina mai e ō tātau tīpuna ki a tātau, arā, hei poipoi, hei manaaki, hei tuku ki te ao.

Ko te Whāinga a Te Kāwanatanga

E noho nei au hei mema nō tēnei Kāwanatanga. E ū ana ahau, a mātau hoki rā, ki te tautoko i tēnei whāinga a te iwi.

Kia mārama tonu tāku kī atu, e whakapono ana mātau ko ngā hapū me ngā iwi ngā tino kaitiaki o ō rātau reo - ko te wāhi ki te Karauna, i raro i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, he tautoko, he āwhina i ngā iwi me ngā hapū ki te whakatutuki i ā rātau kawenga. 

Ki taku rongo, kei te tirohia te Rautaki Reo Māori a Te Kāwanatanga i tēnei wā, ā, hei akuanei, ka whakatakotoria tēnei tirohanga ki mua i te aroaro o te Minita mō ngā Take Māori. Tērā ia te pātai, he aha nei te hononga o tēnei rautaki ki ngā rautaki reo a ngā iwi me ngā whakahaere e whai wāhi mai ana ki tā tātau hui. 

Koia tonu rā ko te pātai - me pēhea te kōtuitui i a tātau anō e eke ai ā tātau mahi ki ngā tino taumata ka taea. Me pēhea te whakahonohono i ā tātau rauemi, ko ngā kaikorero, ko ngā rangahau, ko ngā whakahaere e whai nei i a rātau ake whāinga.

Kei ngā iwi me ngā hapū tētahi wāhanga o te whakautu. Heoi anō, ko āku pātai  ki a au anō, me pēhea te here i ngā tari kāwanatanga ki a rātau kawenga mō te whakapiki i te reo Māori? Me pehea hoki te arotake i a rātau? Koina hoki tā rātau kawenga.

Kei te aro nui au ki te urupounamu, me pēhea te whakahere i te Rāngai Kāwanatanga ki tāna Rautaki Reo Māori? Me pēhea hoki te arotake i te Rāngai Kāwanatanga, arā mō te wāhi ki a ia hei tautoko i ngā kaupapa nui a ngā iwi me Ngāi Māori whānui tonu nei?

Ko taku whakapono, me āta aro te Rautaki Reo Māori ki te arahitanga, arā, ko te arahi i te Rautaki, ko te kōtuitui anō hoki i nga mahi a ngā tari, puta noa i te Rāngai Kāwanatanga.   

Tērā tonu ko ētahi kaupapa me ētahi rauemi e tino pai ana te hanga. Heoi anō, he maha tonu ngā kaupapa e āhua takawehewehe ana, arā kāore i whakakaohia mai ki raro i te karangatanga kotahi.

Koinei tonu te wā me huri tatau i ngā mahi whakamaherehere ki ngā mahi whakatutuki. Kāore i kō atu i tēnei wā.

I te Hūrae o tēnei tau, i whakaputahia e te Minita ko ētahi rangahau mō te ora o te reo Māori. I whakaatuhia i ēnei rangahau, kei te piki haere te ngakaunui o Ngāi Māori me Ngāi Tauiwi hoki ki te reo Māori, he tokomaha ake ngā Māori e mōhio ana ki te kōrero i te reo, ā, kei te piki haere te kōrerotanga o te reo i ngā kainga o te motu ki waenga i ngā mātua me ngā tamariki.

He kitenga whakahīkaka ēnei, ā, me whakapau kaha tātau ki te whakapiki haere i ngā hua o ēnei tatauranga.

Anā, kia kaua hoki tātau e wareware, i tata tonu te korehāhātanga o tō tātau reo. Nā kōnei, he tino pikinga ēnei.

Ki ahau nei, he tino wāhi nui tō Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori hei whakahono i a Ngāi Māori me te Karauna, hei āwhina anō hoki i ngā iwi mā te tuku rauemi mō ā rātau Rautaki Reo mō ō rātau iwi.  

Ko te tino kaupapa ia, kia whai ngā rautaki maha nei i ngā whāinga e hanga ōrite ana.

Kei te kite au, ko te pātai matua mō tā tātau hui, he aha ia nei te hiranga o te reo Māori? Me tautoko tēnei pātai, ka tika.

Kei kōnei ko ngā tohunga o te reo, ko ngā whakahaere hoki ka riro mā rātau e hapai te reo ki waenga i ngā iwi, i ngā hapori, i ngā tari kāwanatanga hoki. Me aro tātau ki ēnei pātai, me ētahi atu pēnei i ēnei:  

• He aha te wāhi ki a mātau i roto i te hiranga o te reo Māori?

• Me pēhea tā tātau whai ngātahi i te hiranga o te reo Māori?

• He aha te wāhi ki te hiranga o te reo Māori hei whakapiki i ngā tatauranga mō ngā tamariki Māori i ngā kura?

• Me pēhea tā tātau tautoko i ngā kōhanga reo me ngā kura kaupapa Māori e eke ai ā tātau tamariki ki ngā taumata me ki i nga wahi e whakanui ana me tō tātou noho ā Māori nei.

Kei kii mai ētahi me pēhea koutou ā mema Paremata?  Me whaaki atu au ki a koutou, hei te timatanga o te tau hou Pakeha ka whai te Paremata i te kaupapa tukutahi o te reo Māori me te reo Pakeha.   Ko te tūmanako ka noho tēnei hei tauira mo te motu.

Kei te mōhio tātau, ko tētahi āhuatanga o ngā mahi whakaako i te reo Māori i tēnei tau, ko te whānuitanga o ngā momo ako me ngā hotaka hei hapai i te reo me  ngā tikanga Māori. Ka rawe tera.  Me haere tonu tēnei āhuatanga.  

Heoi anō, me āta kōtuitui i a tātau anō. Inā ka mahi tahi a Te Ataarangi, ko ngā Puna Reo a Iwi, ko te Panekiretanga, ko te Rangakura, ko Te Whakapakari, ko Te Ipukarea, ko te Ara Reo, a wai ake a wai ake, kei whea mai te painga mō tātau me ā tātau tamariki.  A motu, ā rohe, ā rāngai kāwanatanga, me kōtuitui me āwhina te ringa maui i te ringa katau.

Kua eke pea te wā ki te hanga he whakahaere kotahi māna e arahi ngā mahi nei (me te noho kawenga mō ngā pūtea me ngā hua).

Kua tae mai tētahi tono ki taku tari e mea ana me whakatū he Pokapu Hiranga mō te Reo Māori (arā, he Centre for Māori Language Excellence), māna e whakahonohono, māna e arotake, māna e whakapuaki ngā hua mo te reo Māori.

Ākene pea, me whakarerekē te hanga o ngā pūtea e whakawhiwhia ana ki ngā kaupapa reo Māori i tēnei wā - me whakaaro tātau kia pēhea tātau e whakatutuki i ngā whāinga mō te reo Maori te take.

He mārama tonu te kite atu, kāore i whai hua te noho wehewehe, tērā i tōna kokonga, tērā i tōna kokonga. Heoi anō, me whakakotahi, me wānanga, me ū ki tā tātau kaupapa rangatira mō te whakapiki i tō tātau reo.

Me takatu tātau ki te whakarerekē, ki te whakahou i ā tātau mahi.

Kia maumahara tātau, he pēnei te momo o te iwi Māori, mai i a Māui, ka tae mai nei ki te Wānanga Tautokohoko Māori e tū ana ki Te Wānanga o Raukawa hei te marama e heke mai nei. Hei tā te Pākehā, e kore e rerekē te rerekē haere o te ao.

Ka waiho au i taku tono hei whiriwhiri mā koutou. Kua eke rānei te wā e hangā ai he Pokapu Hiranga Reo Māori - mā wai, ki whea, mō wai, ki te aha. Koinei ngā momo pātai me whakaaro.

E kaikā ana ahau ki te kōkiri i tēnei kaupapa kua heria mai nei ki tā tatau hui. Heoi, mā koutou tēnei kaupapa e arahi, mā koutou ahau e tohutohu.

Kāti rā, kāore i au ngā whakautu katoa, kāore i te kāwanatanga. Ko te tumanako, ka hua mai he whakaaro i a koutou hei titiro, hei whakaaro mō te Minita. Kei te tiaki ia ki tā koutou kupu.

I runga i tērā whakaaro, ā, mō te Minita mō ngā Take Māori, e koa ana ahau ki te whakatuwhera i a He Huia Kaimanawa me ngā kupu nei:

Ka mate, ka mate

Ka ora, ka ora

Kia ora tonu ai tō tātou reo taketake

Te reo i tipu mai i tēnei whenua

Te reo Māori

Tēna koutou, tēna koutou, tēna koutou katoa.