Te Ataarangi Maori language graduation
Te Ataarangi tutors and students celebrate after Saturday’s graduation ceremony at Onetahua Marae. Photo: Marg Braggins.
There is Czech proverb that says “Learn a new language and get a new soul”.
The power of this idea was illustrated at last Saturday’s Te Ataarangi Maori language graduation ceremony at Onetahua Marae.
One of the graduates, Sonia Norton (Te Atiawa/Kai Tahu), who was presented with a certificate to mark her success in the 401 class – the equivalent of first-year university study – was happy to talk about what her learning had meant to her.
“I can honestly say I’m a different person today than what I was when I started the year one class with Te Ataarangi in 2005. Back then I’d heard it was happening and I was keen to just learn Te Reo for myself, not for a qualification or for a job, just to find myself.”
Sonia said that at the time she had felt quite lost and suffered from low self-esteem. “My confidence had been undermined by some of my past experiences and I’d made some bad choices. Learning Te Reo through Te Ataarangi has given me huge growth and uplifted my wairua. I’ve come to see that other people have started to see some worth in me, so it’s okay for me to see some worth in myself.”
Saturday’s graduation was the culmination of a long and testing process. Not everyone who started at the same time as Sonia continued to the highest level that can be taught here.
“When I started the year one class there were about 30 of us. We’ve lost quite a few along the way, but I’m very proud to have graduated alongside Deb Haldane and Moana Solly today.”
Sonia said that the methodology employed by Te Ataarangi really appealed to her and helped her to learn.
“My class is so much fun. Tuesday is my favourite day. There’s so much manaakitanga. Everyone helps each other and tells you that you can do it. That’s huge for me. At one stage I used to have to hitch-hike in from the other side of Collingwood because I didn’t want to miss my class. I’d be walking along waiting for a ride and going over the work I had to do for class.”
Sonia said that her experience of what she calls the “competitive, right and wrong” aspect of school in her youth was “a struggle” and she left without any qualifications. Her level four unit standard credits are therefore a source of great satisfaction to her.
“It wasn’t all easy for me. There’s a bit more pressure on you when you are actually Maori and you’re learning alongside both Maori and non-Maori. I used to get embarrassed, but I have gained my confidence. A couple of weeks ago, at our last class, our teacher Keri Takao took us down to the Takaka River and told us to find a kohatu. He said we could use it as a symbol of our journey through Te Ataarangi. I picked up my stone but it wasn’t till we got back to class that I realised it was pounamu. That was really symbolic for me because my whakatauki is “Aha koa he iti, he pounamu”: “Although it is small, it is a treasure”. That’s how I felt about my learning, so the stone is something I can hang on to now. The learning is actually in me now; I can stand up and hold it. Keri wasn’t surprised; he just asked me how I thought that stone had found its way to me.”
Sonia said that working out what to do next was “the burning question”.
“Now I’ve got a responsibility – I’ve got some knowledge and I’ve got to pass it on in some way or another. I’d like to continue to study but I can’t go any further in the Bay at this stage. Our class is going to get together at the marae from time to time just to keep the fire burning. For now my work will be around my own kids.”
Neil Wilson
Students from three different levels of Te Ataarangi Maori language and tikanga classes graduated in style at a ceremony at Onetahua marae last Saturday.
Te Ataarangi is a nation-wide organisation that employs a totally supportive immersion approach to language-learning. In Mohua/Golden Bay it offers classes at every level where there are sufficient students to run a class. The classes are taught by locals, Glynn Rogers, Moana Solly and Anne Harvey.
Chrissy Piper is a spokesperson for Te Ataarangi in the top-of-the-south region, also known as Te Tauihu o te Waka-a-Maui. She explained the organisation’s main goal.
“We want to foster and promote te reo Māori across the Top of The South so in 2011 Te Ataarangi will be offering both Community and NZQA Certificated night classes in Mohua. These classes will run weekly during the school terms and will present opportunities for beginners and intermediate learners alike to further their studies of te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. As well as the classes we’ll run four 2-day wānanga - two at Te Awhina Marae in Motueka and two at Onetahua Marae here in Mohua. These are open wānanga for past and present students. They will provide a specific place and time to encourage the flow of te reo Māori in the community and the region. They will be supported by Te Ataarangi-trained tutors from around the region.”
Chrissy said that the night classes and wananga are the continuation of work begun six years ago with the support of the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology.
“We look forward to another year of working with the Mohua/Golden Bay community to enhance and extend the community of speakers that now exists in the Bay.”
For enquiries please contact Glynn Rogers on 5258875.
