Te Whakataetae ā-Motu mō Ngā Manu Kōrero Tāmaki ki te Waitematā – the National Secondary Schools Speech Competition – has started today in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Our whanaunga Xanthe Banks is competing in the senior competition, and we wish her all the best.

The competition will be broadcast live on Te Reo Channel and on MĀORI+ from 8.00AM today and tomorrow.

The four divisions are:

Seniors (Years 11, 12 & 13)

  1. Pei Te Hurinui Jones Contest (Reo Māori, one prepared speech, one impromptu)
  2. Korimako Contest (English, one prepared speech, one impromptu)

Juniors (Years 9 & 10)

  1. Te Rāwhiti Ihaka Contest (Reo Māori, one speech)
  2. Sir Turi Carroll Contest (English, one speech)

Past winners include Tawhirimatea Williams, Turanga Merito, Julian Wilcox, and Tamati Waaka.

Speech topics for 2024

Te Reo Māori

  1. Reo kōpiri, whakapuakina!  Reo korahi, whāngaihia! 
  2. Ngā pūrākau Māori, he kura huna kei roto. 
  3. Tamaiti whāngai – He koha nā te kōpū hei taonga mō te ngākau. 
  4. Āke, ake, ake!  Toitū te Tiriti! 
  5. He mamae poto, he oranga roa. 
  6. (Ma te tauira tonu e whakatau i tāna ake kaupapa kōrero) 

 

English

  1. Our stories transcend myth and legend. 
  2. Hapū rights are sovereign rights. 
  3. My whānau would make the best reality TV. 
  4. My 100-day plan for Aotearoa. 
  5. Stress less, live more: Rangatahi tips. 
  6. (Students may determine their own topic)

Ngā Manu Kōrero will also be broadcast on Punga.net for iwi radio listeners.

About the competitions

The Ngā Manu Kōrero competition began in 1965 as the Korimako Speech Competition with the aim of encouraging Māori students to develop skills and fluency in the English language. In 1977 the Pei Te Hurinui Jones reo section of the contest was added and in 1987 it became Te Whakataetae ā-Motu mō Ngā Manu Kōrero o Ngā Kura Tuarua.