A journey to reconnect with Māori heritage through language learning
Liz, or Irihāpeti, grew up in Taranaki during the 1970s and 1980s, when being a proud Māori wasn’t easy or fashionable. She has spent many years studying languages and holds a Master's degree, but she chose to study European and some Asian languages rather than that of her tūpuna.
She returned home to Ngāmotu in 2017, after many years away as an English as a second language kaiako. In a foundation studies course she taught at Western Institute of Technology Taranaki, her tauira had to demonstrate a basic understanding of pepeha and Te Whare Tapa Whā (Sir Mason Durie's model of Māori health).
"That was enough for me to question if I knew what I was teaching. I realised it was time to learn about my reo and tūpuna Māori."
A one-day wānanga ignited the spark of learning te reo Māori. She enrolled in He Pī Ka Pao (Level 2), at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, with Matua Canaan.
"He had us laughing and enjoying ourselves from the outset."
The following year she completed He Pī Ka Rere (Level 4), with Whaea Cheryl, while working as an English kaiako at a Kura Kaupapa, filling in for a kaiako on study leave. This led to a part-time permanent teaching role at Te Kura Taitamawahine o Puke Ariki / NPGHS, which intended to become the first mainstream kura in Taranaki to make te reo Māori compulsory for Year 9 tauira (students).
To continue her commitment to te reo Māori and to honour the tongue of her Ngāti Maniapoto tūpuna, Liz enrolled in Te Rōnakitanga (Level 5). She's taking it further by signing up for Te Aupikitanga (Level 6) this year.
Liz speaks fondly of the kaimahi and her fellow tauira at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. She agrees it has been a transformative experience right from the beginning.
“I love every minute of karakia, waiata, mihi, tikanga and reo that is shared.”
“No reira, e hoa ma, me manaaki, me tiaki i te arero o nga matua tūpuna e! Kia kaha ki te kōrero Maori!”
Pūrongo whakahirahira
Featured stories
Finding a deeper sense of self through te ao Māori
Moving to Aotearoa from rural Australia as a teenager, Lily Warring found herself wanting to learn more about the culture and language of the place she now called home.
A journey shaped by whānau and a love of tamariki
Members of Tayla-Marie Takawe’s (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto) whānau were among the first tauira to graduate from the Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Reconnecting to te ao Māori through raranga
Haylee Roussel (Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne, Ngāti Maniapoto) was searching for a way to reconnect with te ao Māori when she enrolled in the Certificate in Māori and Indigenous Art, Raranga, at the Waiwhero campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Creating the spark for business success
With plenty of experience as an electrician, Josh Verstraten was ready to branch out from employee to business owner, but he knew running a successful business would require a new set of skills.
From financial stress to financial freedom for Auckland whānau
For Augustine Kopa, studying the Certificate in Money Management at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa was about creating a better future for her whānau.
Two generations, one reo Māori journey
When Melody Francis (Ngāti Kahungunu) saw the positive impact that studying te reo Māori had on her mum, she decided to jump on the waka and begin the journey alongside her.
Tikanga study boosts whānau presence on marae
Patrick and Donna Tobin (Ngāti Kahu) are a brother-and-sister duo studying tikanga alongside their wider whānau at Te Paatu Marae in Kaitaia, all working towards the betterment of their whānau, iwi, and marae.
A teacher’s path to understanding tikanga
Originally from South Africa, Franda Zondagh has called Aotearoa home since 2003, but it was through studying He Papa Tikanga with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that she began to feel a deeper connection to the place she lives and people she serves in her mahi.
Leading by example and learning te reo Māori
Liisa Wharepapa’s (Te Whānau ā Apanui) journey with te reo Māori wasn’t something that happened overnight, it was a goal waiting to be pursued until the moment she felt ready to take that step.
Returning home and reclaiming te reo Māori
After many years away building his professional career, Logan Bertram (Whakatōhea), returned home to Ōpōtiki with a clear goal of reconnecting with his whakapapa and creating a better future for his young whānau.
