Otago Girls High School hosted the prestigious Ngä Manu Kõrero regional speech competitions over the weekend.

Usually held in June of each year, we did it earlier this year to help students and schools prepare for Nationals that will be held in Taranaki, in September.

Friday’s põwhiri was exciting with our own Wairua Pūhou teaming up with He Waka Kõtuia King's and Queen's kapa haka bellowing out a hearty rendition of Päpaki Kau Ana and Toia Mai in the haka powhiri, welcoming last year’s winners with their returning trophies and other schools and guests from around Otago and Southland. The kai kõrero (male speakers) spoke on behalf of the hosts and visitors, our kaumatua Matua Peter Kara opened the competition with a karakia (prayer). From there it was a quick turnaround before we were straight into the senior impromptu speeches.

We were represented again this year by sisters, Lucy and Hannah Matehaere. We had some fantastic results with Hannah Matehaere winning First Place in the Junior English section and retaining the Sir Turi Carroll Junior English trophy that she won last year and her sister Lucy placing third in the impromptu section, an outstanding effort.

Lucy and Hannah’s speeches were supported by Wairua Pühou and members of Kähui Kõrero (Otago Girls' Mäori Student Council) and then we all went into host mode acting as guides and runners for the judges, teachers in charge and other workers behind the scenes. Our girls ran the back stage with mic-ing up the speakers and running the sound desk and helped with setting up the different areas around the school. We were running the security and sustaining the mana of the school by keeping an eye on areas that were off limits and checking the toilets and keeping them clean and by picking up any extra rubbish.

Over 300 people attended the two day event and there were some powerful speeches delivered. A favourite part was the whanaungätanga, when all of our schools came together and played Mäori games. At one point there would have been over 100 students playing iti rakiraki (little duck) in a big circle out the front of our school, it was very funny. We enjoyed listening to the speeches and the support songs and haka that went after each school’s representatives had finished speaking. The weekend was an outstanding success with the organisers of the event saying OGHS was the best venue they have used yet. A huge thanks to the staff that helped and a massive mihi to our girls who competed and hosted the manuhiri from all around the motu.

‘Te amorangi ki mua, te hapai o ki muri’

The leader at the front and the workers behind the scenes

This is a reference to Marae protocol where the speakers are at the front of the meeting house and the workers are at the back making sure everything is prepared and that the guests are well looked after. It is important to note that both jobs are equally important, and are like the ying and yang, for without one, everything would fail.