The Launch of the Te Reo Strategy Plan

The Launch of the Te Reo Strategy Plan took place at Omahu Marae on the 25th August 2006.

The underlying theme for the day was... "Ma nga arero o te Kaumatua me te Rangatahi ka ora te reo Maori" ... because one of the issues highlighted in the plan is the need for more intergenerational transmission of the reo. A special part of the programme involved the presentation of taonga to Kaumatua who are practising this intergenerational transmission of te reo through their commitment to communicate more in te reo. 

Click here for the Te Reo Strategy Plan in English or Maori (2.4mb PDF)

Background

In 2002, Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated undertook a marae hikoi, visiting more than 50 marae to develop the Ngāti Kahungunu Strategic Vision 2026.  The vision, ki te whai ao, ki te ao marama, reflects our collective desire, as Ngāti Kahungunu, “To achieve excellence in the highest order and to be in constant pursuit of excellence in all areas of our lives” 

The Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated mission to achieve this is “To enhance the mana and wellbeing of Ngāti Kahungunu” through the empowerment of whānau, hapū and Taiwhenua and to determine and achieve success according to our respective and collective aspirations.

The primary principle that underpins the Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated strategic vision is whānaungatanga, Te Tuhonohono o Kahungunu, the tapestry of whakapapa that makes us who we are today. 

Making our mark as Kahungunu is reflected throughout our strategic vision.  Explicit examples of this are:

• Establishing Kahungunu identity as a nation,
• Our people as International Iwi ambassadors,
• The alignment of government boundaries to reflect our tribal boundaries,
• The protection of our cultural landmarks, 
• Building our cultural strength through Takitimu festivals,
• The establishment of a whare wananga,
• Ensuring our history and reo is taught in all schools,
• Creating and showcasing our cultural heritage in waiata, whakaaro, sports, film and print media,
• Relearning our rongoa and
• Creating more regional, national and international awareness of who we are as a nation through signposting, speaking our own reo, and establishing our own parliament.

Cultural excellence is a priority for Ngāti Kahungunu whānau and hapū.  One of the key strategic goals for Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated is to establish a Cultural Centre for the advancement and expression of Kahungunutanga. This centre will become a catalyst to develop and support programmes and projects that preserve, extend and promote cultural knowledge and practice for and between whānau through wānanga, exhibitions and festivals.

The Matauranga plan 2003-2005, identified the need for increased Kahungunu reo resources, culturally appropriate curriculum, services, programmes and support.  We set a goal for te reo to be available in all schools in Kahungunu and an in-homes programme to encourage and support intergenerational transmission. 

In 2005, we reaffirmed our goal to reclaim and reflect our cultural skills and strength.  A central feature of our whānau education development was the acquisition and transmission of cultural skills. Our iwi Hauora plan 2003-2005 highlighted our reo and tikanga as central to our well being and the affirmation of our identity as Kahungunu.

Operational links to our language, whānaungatanga and cultural goals are the funding of community events that promote Kahungunutanga such as Matariki and substantiated through Waitangi day celebrations. Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc. also highlights this priority through its involvement in the planning phase of the Kahungunu cultural centre, the development of Kahungunu cultural standards for schools and contract arrangements for Community Based Language Initiatives. In addition, the establishment of a Kahungunu Taumata, recognizing the living Kahungunutanga expertise and the Kahungunu Kahui Kaumatua goal to address Kahungunu paepae capacity and capability, represent significant investment by Ngati Kahungunu in our cultural heritage and future. 

The Community Based Language Initiative programme is a significant, but short term resource to assist our larger plans of strengthening the development of language and cultural capacity.

The Ngāti Kahungunu Strategic Vision expresses the need to “ be conversant in Kahungunu reo and to have te reo Māori  taught at all levels throughout schools.”  This Strategic Plan will extend that vision to include all domains in the community, to increase the awareness of issues relating to te reo Māori and researching and reconstructing Kahungunu reo. This will necessitate the establishment and ongoing development of collaborative relationships with other stakeholders.

The focus of the strategy will be:

• To strengthen the Kahungunu paepae
• To create and improve learning opportunities for whānau and hapū
• To encourage an awareness of issues relating to Te Reo o Kahungunu me ōna tikanga
• To increase the amount of reo being spoken in the homes and other domains
• To research, reconstruct Kahungunu Reo and provide resources for distribution
• To establish sustainable relationships with other stakeholders

Ihaia Hutana has been employed by Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated as Poutiri-a-Reo to research and co-ordinate the Community Based Learning Initiatives in Kahungunu.

The Launching of the Te Reo Strategy is a great milestone achievement thanks to the input of whanau hapu iwi at the Consultation hui and the learned experience of Koroua Kuia.

Click here for the media release

Click here for the programme

All inquiries to:

Ihaia Hutana - Poutiri-A-Reo

Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated

PO Box 2406, HASTINGS

Phone: 06 8762718 Email: ihaia@kahungunu.iwi.nz