Lincoln honoured to host speech contest

Media Release
26 June 2019
- for immediate release

Lincoln honoured to host speech contest

Lincoln University will be hosting 61 speakers from 28 Canterbury and West Coast high schools and colleges competing in the Waitaha Regional Ngā Manu Korero Speech competition on June 28.

It is the first time the University has held the event on campus.

Assistant Vice-Chancellor, Māori and Pasifika, Dr Dione Payne said the University was honoured to hold the event.

She said it celebrated the re-introduction of te reo Māori courses at Lincoln University after 10 years of non-delivery.

Dr Payne said hosting the event was part of supporting Lincoln’s focus on te reo on campus including the delivery of te reo Māori professional development workshops for staff.

“These activities support our journey into developing a strategy for a bicultural campus and our ongoing commitment to matauraka Māori.”

She said it would be the largest Māori gathering at Lincoln University, with at least 750 supporters from the schools expected plus community support.

Lincoln University has recently instituted a course which covers an introduction to te reo Māori listening, speaking, reading, writing and comprehension, as well as a Mahika Kai course.

Lincoln also introduced Māori Accommodation Scholarships at the start of 2018. These are additional to Sir Turi Carroll Scholarships for Māori student leaders which were initiated in 2013.

Other scholarships to help and encourage Māori students to achieve their aspirations for their whenua, whānau, hapū and iwi include; Mātauraka Māori Scholarship for students who demonstrate excellence in subjects focused on Te Ao Māori, Ahuwhenua Scholarship for an agricultural focused qualification, Putaiao Scholarship for science related subjects, and Tāpoi Scholarship for tourism related subjects.

The event has strong support from sponsors, Te Puni Kokiri, TahuFM, Kotahi Mano Kaika, TRONT, Te Putahitanga, Whenua Kura, Kia ora Hauora and Hākari Rau Limited.

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