E ngā mana e ngā reo e ngā kārangaranga maha e ngā hau e whā tēnā koutou katoa.  Ngāa Manu Kōrero ki Waitaha 2016 was hosted by Te Iringa o Kahukura, Cashmere High School. 

Intended to encourage the development of skills and confidence of Māori and non-Māori  students in spoken English and Māori, the sections are Senior and Junior Impromptu, Senior and Junior Māori, and Senior and Junior English.

Although Pūtaringamoru Riccarton did not have speakers entered this year, students from the senior Te Reo Māori classes had another opportunity to attend and listen to their peers. It was also a wonderful day of whakawhanauangatanga for students teachers and whanau who attended.

A long day awaited, beginning with the powhiri and speeches of welcome and encouragement. First up was Impromptu contest with topics including: E-Learning, Language: Use it or Lose it!. My Life My Way! Tikanga vs technology, followed by Senior and Junior speeches. 

It was inspirational to listen to speakers who gave it their best with support from their schools, performing either a waiata tautoko or haka tautoko, which was amazing. 

The speakers are judged on: the quality of te reo, subject knowledge, content, and structure of the speech.

During the day students could reconnect with their culture, language and whanau and leave with renewed attitude and the confidence that no matter who you are, what you have, you can do it!

Winning schools this year were Te Whanau Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whanau Tahi, Cashmere High School and Middleton Grange. The students from these schools will represent the Waitaha region at National Ngā Manu Kōrero 2016 in Whangarei at the end of Term 2.

Nō reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā koutu katoa.