Ko te reo te tuariki.
Language is my identity.
Ko te reo tōku ahurei.
Language is my uniqueness.
Ko te reo te ora.
Language is my life.
Te reo Māori is one of Aotearoa-New Zealand’s three official languages and is the language of the indigenous peoples of our country. It is acknowledged as a taonga, or treasure, under the Treaty of Waitangi/ te tiriti o Waitangi. By understanding and speaking te reo Māori, all New Zealanders increase their understanding of the importance of language and culture for tangata whenua. Learning te reo Māori and tikanga Māori ( the culture,traditions and customs of the Māori people) helps all New Zealanders to respect and understand te ao Māori (the Maori sense of the World). It also reinforces the sense that Aotearoa-New Zealand is a unique country with its own unique cultures, languages and identities.
At Tirimoana School our teachers:
- Use Māori words and phrases where appropriate and encourage correct pronunciation
- Explore Māori concepts, values and viewpoints, and their relevance
- Integrate te reo Māori and tikanga across the curriculum through planned and incidental learning experiences
- Teach children to create and recall their personal pepeha
- Teach children karakia and waiata
- Engage in their own personal learning of te reo Maori
Further opportunities at Tirimoana School for akonga/learners:
- Kapa Haka group
- Two day Bilingual class (Years 4-6) Te Mata
- Whanau Matariki workshop series (Year 1-3)
- Weekly extension te reo Maori lessons in the senior school
- Annual noho marae (Year 5)
- Lead teacher of te reo Maori
