Te Reo Maori

As the indigenous language of our country, te reo Maori receives a
particular emphasis in the New Zealand curriculum. This is because te reo Maori
and tikanga Maori (the culture, traditions and customs of the Maori people) are
essential components of our national heritage. While they define Maori in
particular, they are integral to the identity of all New Zealanders.

Our school believes that by learning te reo and becoming increasingly familiar with
tikanga, Maori students strengthen their identities, while non-Maori students
journey towards a shared cultural understanding. As such our school has a core
commitment to teaching te reo Maori and tikanga Maori.

Our Te Reo Maori Programme

All students receive weekly lessons in te reo Maori and tikanga Maori. Those
students who have a particularly interest in learning the language also receive
weekly extension lessons to help accelerate the competency in te reo Maori.

As a means of further embedding tikanga Maori, we have three very active
kapa haka (Maori performing arts) groups, one at each syndicate level. The
measure of the success of our kapa haka programme can be seen in the large
number of students that enthusiastically participate in these groups, many of
whom are non-Maori. Our kapa haka groups have numerous opportunities to perform
throughout the year at cultural festivals, during visits to neighbouring
retirement villages, and at our school concerts.

Tikanga Maori Resources

For Maori resources to use at home, check out our new Tikanga Maori webpage:

https://sites.google.com/whangareiprimary.school.nz/tereomaori

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