Office of Māori Development (OMD) colleagues Kiritea Smith (right) and Karin Fraser are part of the team organising the events during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
From kapa haka performances to making fry bread and playing wharewhare (bingo), there’s lots of ways for the Otago community to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori this year.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2024 runs from 14-21 September, with the theme “Ake ake ake – A Forever Language”.
Office of Māori Development (OMD) Kaiwhakahaere Kaupapa Project Manager Kiritea Smith says this year’s theme is particularly close to her heart.
“It’s well known among revitalisation initiatives that it takes three generations to revitalise a language.
“As someone who is the only fluent reo Māori speaking person in my family, I plan to teach my children reo Māori as their first language, with a strong hope that once they have kids and I grandchildren, they also hold te reo Māori as their first language.”
Kiritea, along with the team at OMD, Te Rōpū Māori – Māori Students Association and a number of kaimahi, tauira, whānau me hoa from campus and beyond, have been working behind the scenes organising a range of events for staff and students to engage with, learn and embrace te reo Māori.
Events on the Dunedin campus kick off at Monday lunchtime with kapa haka performances from kaimahi and tauira, with opportunities for the crowd to join in too, Kiritea says.
“There’s also a Māori games night where we will be showcasing new Māori board games that have been developed in the last year.”
Events will be promoted on digital screens throughout campus.
“I also suggest following Te Rōpū Māori – Māori Students Association on social media for some more cool events for tauira.”
It is important we all come together to celebrate and participate in Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Kiritea says.
“Te Wiki o te Reo Māori has been an official language week in Aotearoa for 52 years due to the efforts of those who championed Te Petihana Reo Māori.
“Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is a time to actively seek resources, events and communities to help you in your journey. They are abundant during this time and could start a significant passion for te reo Māori that you may have never known.”
In the true spirit of the theme, our te reo Māori journey should not stop at the end of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, she says.
“We can embrace this theme by not just focusing our efforts into one week of the year or one month but every week, every month try our best to embrace te reo Māori for the rightful official language that it is.”
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori events (Dunedin Campus)
Monday, 16 September
Kapa Haka
Haere mai ki te mātaki i ngā tauira me ngā kaimahi e mahi kapa haka ana.
Come along and watch students and staff perform kapa haka.
- When: 12pm - 1pm
- Where: Main Common Room, University Union
Pō Kēmu Māori - Māori Games Night
Haere mai ki te pūrei i ngā kēmu Māori.
Come along and play some Māori games.
- When: 5pm - 9pm
- Where: Auahi Ora
Wednesday, 18 September
Reo Māori Fry Bread
Haere mai ki te ako pēhea te tunu parāoa parai. Me Rēhita.
Come along and learn to make fry bread in te reo Māori. Registration needed.
- When: 3pm-5pm
- Where: Provided on registration
Rēhita mai kia/registrations please contact: krystle.vandersalm@otago.ac.nz
Friday, 20 September
Wharewhare - Bingo
Haere mai ki te purei i te kēmu wharewhare!
Come along and play bingo!
- When: 10am – 11am
- Where: Te Rōpū Māori
Three-minute research presentations in te reo
Listen to six School of Biomedical Sciences staff and students explain their projects in te reo alongside slides in English.
- When: 1-2pm
- Where: Hunter Centre (Rooms 122 and 123)
All week (Monday – Friday)
Order your coffee and food in Māori
All Dunedin Campus cafes are encouraging the use of te reo Māori within their spaces. Order your coffee and food in te reo Māori during the week.
- When: All week
- Where: All Dunedin campus cafes