People from all walks of life are drawn to Te Ataarangi. You move at your own pace in a safe and supportive learning environment. Your learning opens a door to the Māori world.
Anne is a fourth-generation New Zealander. Her ancestors hail from Denmark, Sweden, Australia, Scotland and England.
"Ko Te Friedburg tōku waka, ko Te Ataarangi tōku whānau whāngai. He ātaahua te reo Māori me ngā tikanga. Kōrero Māori i ngā wā katoa."
Whaea Pioi is 70 years old, a native speaker from Tūhoe. She has 19 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. For many years, Whaea Pioi was actively involved with the local Kōhanga Reo (language nest). "Many parents would bring their children to Kōhanga Reo. Some of the parents could not speak Māori. There was no Māori language being spoken at home with the children. I wanted to teach the parents."
In 2006, at 65 years of age, Whaea Pioi became a trained Te Ataarangi tutor and graduated with a degree in Māori Immersion Teaching. "I had to teach the parents to speak Māori so that they could pass the language to their children and grandchildren”.
Since leaving Tokaanu Native School more than 40 years ago, Jim and his relations have returned to learning, the Ataarangi way. Learning took place at the local marae, and the majority of the students were related to each other.
"My wife wanted to join the local Te Ataarangi group that was starting up. She wanted me (and everyone else) to go with her. I agreed to drive her to the open evening and bring her home again. I met up with all of my relations who were enrolling in Te Ataarangi. Some of them I hadn’t seen for ages. The tutor came over to say hello, and then I ended up joining the group before my wife did."
Teresa's parents attended Te Ataarangi lessons at the local school. "It was good to see both Mum and Dad enjoying what they were doing. Everyone in their group has become very close. We (my brothers and sisters and I) used to moan about how our parents were never home. They were either at Te Ataarangi, the marae, or down the line attending a hui with their Māori speaking friends."
Hera shares, "it wasn't just learning te reo, it was about learning a whole new way of life". Hera learnt the Māori language through Te Ataarangi at Taipari, Auckland.
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