Manu Kōrero is the Māori speech competition for high school students. Manu Kōrero, meaning to speak like a bird, is one of the most important calendar events in Te Ao Māori/Māori world that celebrates the Māori language in an educational setting. It is a major gathering of the “whose who" in Māoridom and Manu Kōrero is an opportunity that doesn’t come to many. This year it was hosted at Te Huruhuru Ao o Horomaka, Hornby High School. The chance to take the stage in front of hundreds of people and speak completely in a language that feels so connected to our identity as New Zealanders is so special to me, even as a member of Ngati Pākeha, like the MC’s told the crowd before I began to speak. My speech was on the topic of, “Me āta tiaki te wairua o te tangata, ahakoa ko wai,” meaning, “We should carefully guard the spirit of the people, no matter who they are,” and while it was really challenging to write and memorize an 11 minute speech in Te Reo Māori it has helped so much to develop my own understanding of Te Reo, while also giving the Māori students of our school a chance of their own to be a part of such a hopeful and empowering celebration of Te Ao Māori. We had around 50 students come to support my kōrero and I’m so thankful for their tautoko. I’m hoping that Middleton Grange School continues the tradition of attending Manu Kōrero set in place by the many Māori students that have gone before me, like Jireh Komene, Rosa Hibbert-Schooner, Maia Keepa and Jade Tau-Manuel, and I’m so thankful for the school’s support of our Māori students. Thanks to Matua Pairama and Matua Etana for help with scripting and crafting the speech and performance. Thanks also to Mr Bisseker, Ms Goddard, Mr Barlow and Mr Vannoort for their support of our group at Manu Kōrero at Hornby High school. 

Josh Bedggood