Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) is an annual week which celebrates our native Māori language. The week is part of the broader Māori language revival and raises public awareness for Māori language revitalization, learning, and public usage. Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori is usually September 9th-15th. However, due to senior mock exams the event was moved forward to this week so the whole school can celebrate and embrace Te Reo Māori.

During Atawhai, each student was given a feather template on which they created their own unique design and included a Māori word to describe what Carmel means to them. These feathers will be used to create a Korowai for each of the six Houses. We also had a Word Find of Māori words regarding kai (food).

Lunchtime activities this week included; colouring-in competition of Māori Gods, moko kaeae, weaving bookmarks, Moana movie and Mass with Māori prayers and hymns. Tomorrow, we will be selling delicious FRIED BREAD for $2.00 in the Whānau room!

Throughout the week, girls have worn their taonga (greenstone or bone) to signify our unity and (to identify with being Māori).

The week has been filled with lots of enthusiasm, creativity, participation and excitement. Staff and students have really embraced Te Reo Māori, an official language of Aotearoa, by learning and using greetings, phrases, waiata and reciting Māori prayers.

Brooke Rutter, Year 13

To further celebrate our Te Reo Māori, Leilani Vaingalo, a Year 10 student has written a piece on what it’s like taking Te Reo Māori as a subject.

“I choose to learn Te Reo Māori because it is a part of who I am and feel it is a great opportunity to take it as one of my subjects to be able to learn, and hopefully, be able to speak it fluently and feel confident to speak it to others as well as family. I am able to learn more about the culture, language, history, and gain more knowledge about Māori. I feel it is important for me to continue to take Te Reo to the end of Year 13. As well as having the opportunity to learn Māori in the Te Reo classroom I am also able to connect with the other girls in the classroom through the Māori Language. It’s always a great time in the classroom and everybody enjoys taking the class to be able to learn and have fun together with Whaea Tina always creating something new to help us understand the language and culture of Te Reo Māori.”