Skip Content
Teresa Kenny: Tauira - Diploma in Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi

Teresa Kenny had been teaching for more than two decades but was still looking for new ways to get more te reo Māori into her classroom.

“I loved teaching and learning te reo with our tamariki in our reo rua (bilingual) unit at Koraunui School, but was always searching for ways to feed in more reo into our kura,” says Teresa (Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri/ Te Rōroa).

“Our tamariki and their whānau were ready to move into more immersion and we were aware of the need to develop our fluency and knowledge.”

Teresa, who grew up in Whanganui, got together with her kaiako whānau to brainstorm how they’d achieve their goal.

She’d studied te reo Māori with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa for 10 years and thought it best the whānau continue their reo journey there with Te Pīnakitanga ki te reo Kairangi, a 40-week programme for advanced te reo Māori speakers.

The Level 7 programme guides tauira (students) towards fluency and the level of sophistication and eloquence used in karanga and whaikōrero.

Tauira learn formal and informal language subtleties as they become bearers of cultural knowledge for their whānau, hapū and iwi.

The decision to study Te Pīnakitanga ki te reo Kairangi developed whānau confidence and fluency in te reo Māori, says Teresa.

“It also enabled me to have a deeper connection to te ao Māori. Often, we would teach our tamariki what we had just learned in class the night before. This meant we would be using our new learning in a real context. After a while, it was evident that there was an increased use of reo within our kura whānau.”

Teresa says Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has given her the opportunity to be part of a hāpori (community) of reo speakers and activists for the revitalisation and normalisation of te reo Māori.

“I am really pleased that our whānau decided to continue this journey together through COVID19, and in a way I believe it has strengthened our relationships with one another, as speakers of te reo.”

“ Even though I wasn’t brought up as a reo speaker, Te Reo has always been an intrinsic part of who I am. It’s in my DNA, my whakapapa, and I feel drawn to continue to deepen my understanding and knowledge of the reo of my tupuna (ancestors).”

“Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has supported me with my reo journey and I feel very grateful. I am still learning and will continue to do so.”

Find out more about our te reo Māori programmes

 Back to news & events

Published On: 19 May 2021

Article By: James Ihaka



Other Articles

  • 21 March 2023

    Studying business was the road to success for Tāmaki couple

    For husband and wife Daniel and Charmaine Ngawharau, studying with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and using the knowledge learned to start a business has been the best decision they’ve ever made.

  • From art tauira to art kaiako: Tā moko artist eager to share his knowledge

    Rawiri T Horne, a renowned tā moko artist, and new kaiako at the Christchurch campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, is passionate about sharing tikanga through creating art.

  • 14 February 2023

    Embracing te reo Māori the key for Taranaki grandmother to help understand her identity

    A lightbulb moment about identifying as a “New Zealander” led to grandmother and radio station manager Anne Dawson enrolling in Te Reo Māori studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in 2021.

  • 24 January 2023

    From Kenya to Aotearoa - Toi and its many connection's

    Jennifer Dickerson, a self-proclaimed "Third Culture Kid" due to her unique upbringing around the world, has discovered who she is through art.