Hoani Waititi Marae Kura (School)
A Pōwhiri ceremony in the meeting or ancestral house is followed by a meal and a student performance. We then gather for a discussion with Dr. Pita Sharples, MP, co-leader of the Māori Party and Director of Programs at Hoani Waititi Marae Kura. Afterwards we partner up with some of the older students to visit the school grounds and classrooms.
Below: The "whare tipuna" (ancestral house) and the gateway to the Marae
An inside view of the now empty "whare tipuna" where the welcoming ceremony took place
Group photo with Pita Sharples and Sharples in discussion with a visitor
A performance by all students in the "whare kai" (dining room) is followed by the boys doing the haka.
Primary school children welcome us haka-style; the same students saying their prayers before lunch.
Māori only in the classrooms; all signs and notes on the board are in Māori.
Middle schoolers in English class, reading Harry Potter among other books; there is no Māori translation of Harry Potter (yet).
In the art room: art classes not only integrate traditional elements, but focus entirely on their creation and adaptation. Below are some examples of the students' art work. It is during my visit to the art room that I begin to realize that I am visiting more than a Māori language revitalization program. Language, culture and tradition are considered an inseparable unit in the Māori movement. You cannot propagate the Māori language through western culture and thought models.