“Ko te reo tuatahi”

Ngā mihi manaaki ki a tātou katoa,

Our senior Māori class have been preparing for an upcoming assessment based on understanding the underlying meaning of whakataukī. This week we have two whakataukī, or proverbs to share with you.

The first one is:

He waka eke noa

It’s a short one, so often used by beginners to te reo Māori, but it also has deep significance.

Essentially, it reminds us that we are all in this together, that through mutual support, our community will make progress.

One of my teachers used to say to me, “ There are no passengers on this waka”, meaning that we all have a job to do and responsibilities to the group. In tikanga Māori, our rights as individuals are not as important as our unity to our collective endeavour.

This webpage is a great resource if you like the proverb that we have shared with you today.

He waka eke noa

The second one is about binding us together in the human relationship:

Whiria te muka tāngata

In Aotearoa New Zealand, events are held around Race Relations Day providing the opportunity for all peoples to come together, learn from each other, share, celebrate and enjoy the richness of shared cultural experiences. We join with people around the world saying NO to racism, and YES to equality, diversity and respect. You can find out more here: Race Relations Day On Monday 21 March 4pm-6pm at Toitu Museum, there will be kōrero, speeches and panel discussions, and the launching of Ōtepoti Dunedin Diversity song.

Nā reira, ki ngā mātā waka o tō tātou kura, kia whakanui te Rā Taura Tāngata. Noho ora mai e te whānau.

Nāhaku, nā Whaea Joe Hunter