Ko tōu reo, ko tōku reo, te tuakiri tangata
Tīhei uriuri, tīhei nakonako
Your voice and my voice are expressions of identity
May our descendants live on and our hopes be fulfilled
We are committed to prioritising professional learning and development for staff so they can strengthen their use of te reo Māori and develop their understanding of tikanga Māori. In this way, we can support our tamariki as we affirm te reo Māori as a taonga, a treasure to nurture; as a source of the identity of Aotearoa; and as one of the official languages of our country. We understand the uniqueness of Te Ao Māori, a Māori worldview, and observe tikanga Māori in many of our practices.
Pōwhiri and kapa haka are an integral part of what we do at Whangaparāoa School, and are nurtured and valued amongst our taonga. Our kapa haka roopu is strong and we eagerly anticipate taking part in the annual Tu Maia kapa haka festival with other schools from our area, alongside in-school opportunities to perform.
Our New Zealand Curriculum acknowledges the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the unique status of Māori in Aotearoa:
“By understanding and using te reo Māori, New Zealanders become more aware of the role played by the indigenous language and culture in defining and asserting our point of difference in the wider world.
By learning te reo and becoming increasingly familiar with tikanga, Māori students strengthen their identities, while non-Māori journey towards shared cultural understandings.
All who learn te reo Māori help to secure its future as a living, dynamic, and rich language. As they learn, they come to appreciate that diversity is a key to unity. Te reo Māori underpins Māori cultural development and supports Māori social and economic development in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. Understanding te reo Māori stretches learners cognitively, enabling them to think in different ways and preparing them for leadership.”
Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu
Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly