Maori Medium – Immersion School Throws Open It’s Doors

Maori Medium – Immersion School Throws Open It’s Doors to a New Era.

South Island’s first KURA KAUPAPA MAORI (Maori Medium – Immersion School) “ Te Kura Whakapuumau I te Reo tuturu ki Waitaha” ( which translates as “ The school within Canterbury giving permanence to Maori Language and customs” aka “Te Kura Whakapuumau) based on a beautiful site in Opawa re-opens it’s doors to “business” on Friday 15 May 2015 at 10am. All are welcome to attend.

Please confirm your attendance with office Ph 03 3771 436

Guests(manuhiri) will be welcomed with celebratory rituals and oratory followed by a haakari (feast) and entertainment.

All this being part of welcoming in a new era for the kura after being afflicted with much misfortune since the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 resulting in much damage, physical and emotional to the kura/school, huge drops in rolls due to families fleeing from earthquakes, loss of staff threatened closure, finally culminating in fungal poisoning in some of the blocks of the kura. This being the catalyst to move out immediately to a temporary site, an abandoned school in Linwood. If this scenario was not enough for the kura/school, they had to cope with the untimely death of their interim principal “Whaea” (Ms) Hoana Bosustow leaving the kura /school almost crippled.

But, with the continuous resilience of the kura community, the passionate belief and commitment of families to the concept and purpose of Kura Kaupapa/ Maori Immersion Schools, their commitment to the survival of Te Reo Maori in their children, and, with the support of external organisations like, The Ministry of Education, Te Runanga o nga Kura Kaupapa Maori o Aotearoa ( The National Council for all Kura Kaupapa Maori), Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, Local businesses and committed individuals and organisations within the community, ‘TE KURA WHAKAPUMAU’ lives on, thus celebrating their re-opening with much fervour this coming Friday.

In the ‘big picture’ overview, Kura Kaupapa such as ‘ Te Kura Whakapumau’ play a huge and vital part in New Zealand society in the re-vitalisation of Maori Language and KAUPAPA MAORI- Maori Protocols and Practices asserts Mrs Tihi Puanaki- a long time advocate and activist for Maori Language, Teacher and Educationalist.

She adds, Language Survival experts like, Joshua Fischman, Jim Cummins and many others state “that for a language at risk to survive, at least 20% of the children of that culture need to be speaking fluently in that language.

Also, state the experts there needs to be governmental and community wide support as well as the commitment of the community to whom the language belongs.

Tihi adds in conclusion, Maori Language/Te Reo Maori is a Taonga (treasure) a taonga for all Maori, for all New Zealanders. Let it not suffer the fate of the moa and be lost forever……..

So, Fridays re-opening and celebrations will symbolise the new and exciting pathways to be followed by the tamariki/children of ‘Te Kura Whakapumau I te Reo Tuuturu ki Waitaha…and thus it will be worth all the blood, sweat and tears shed by many as well as the passing of a beloved teacher who has left her legacy

ENDS

© Scoop Media