Kia Pai Te Reo ki Rotoiti

We finished off our series of the Kia Pai Te Reo wānanga in Rotoiti at the weekend.

 Nui te rere o te harikoa i waenga i te whānau, ngā kaumātua, ngā pakeke, ngā rangatahi me ngā tamariki.

The Friday evening began with Kapa Haka, and an emphasis on Ngāti Rārua kīwaha and pepeha, followed by a patapātai based on the Rāruaioio Te Tapairu narrative – a kōrero that details our ancestral mothers life, whakapapa and connections to others who lived during her time.

The Saturday was spent in the different learning groups – whilst the pakeke spent the afternoon learning the owhaowha Paimārire, the tamariki went for a swim down at the Lake. Our whānau were treated to a Hākari for dinner with trimmings such as kina and pāua.

We started our Sunday morning with a Paimārire church service, followed by an awesome presentation by Melissa Bryant – a master’s graduate from Te Wānanga o Raukawa, she highlighted her research and findings pertaining to Ngāti Rārua.

At the conclusion of her kōrero, she presented Pohe with the new Te Rauparaha book and a Tainui dictionary for his support during her studies, and a beautifully carved tewhatewha for the rūnanga.

Good learning and korero was shared by Dr Lorraine Eade on the history and connections of Ngāti Rārua to Rotoiti and Kawatiri to close the wānanga.

Ngā mihi nunui to everyone who attended and thank you for the mahi that went into making these wānanga possible.

We look forward to sharing more opportunities to use and learn Reo Rārua in 2024.