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Mairangatia te Angitu – Māori success as Māori

Mairangatia te Angitu was a two-day symposium that was co-designed with mana whenua, and brought together rangatahi Māori from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Whānau Tahi, and kaiako from across Waitaha and as far as Te Tihi-o-Maru.

Over 150 kaiako attended the symposium to hear kaikōrero Māori and others share whakaaro, mātauranga, and resources to support ākonga Māori. The kaupapa-driven symposium came with an aspiration: to share successful strategies for Māori success and inspire kaiako to challenge themselves and apply their insights back in their kura.

It was a unique learning opportunity to bring kaiako together for two days and it recognised the need to enhance and normalise Māori success as Māori.

“The keynote speakers are inspirational. Engaging with breakout leaders and participants got me thinking about my next steps personally and professionally.” – participant

Sophia Clarke-Walker

Sophia Clarke-Walker (Ngāi Tahu) won the Senior Manu Kōrero Korimako section for Waitaha as a student of Te Pā o Rakaihautū. She was one of the rangatahi who delivered a whaikōrero to express her pride in being Māori.

“We were not made to fit in; we were born to stand out.”

Sophia’s speech topic was "Let me be the rangatahi today; I'll be the rangatira tomorrow".

“When you see us, do you really see us?” – Sophia Clarke-Walker (Ngāi Tahu)

After listening to Sophia’s kōrero, Janelle Riki-Waaka (Tainui Āwhiro, Ngāti Hauiti) acknowledged Sophia and reflected on her future, “We are so grateful that the future is in your hands. This is who is going to lead the country."

One participant said, “The kapa haka moved me to tears and the kōrero from Sophia Clarke-Walker was incredible.”

Hori Te Ariki Mataki

Kaihautū and Creative Lead at Ariki Creative, Hori Te Ariki Mataki (Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Kauwhata) delivered a keynote speech, inspiring many with the mātauranga and tikanga involved in his design work.

Hori grew up in Ōtautahi and shared some of his secondary school experiences at Aranui High School. He reflected on a time at school when Te Ururoa Flavell visited the school and asked, “What is it to be Māori?”

When Hori talked about his journey since that time, he said humbly, “To be Māori is to know your language, to know your whakapapa, to know who you are.” That’s what changes futures.

Later in life, Ariki Creative was commissioned to be part of the design team at Haeata Community College, “I used to get told off for drawing in class, now I draw on the class!”

Hori shared a visual portfolio of kaupapa Māori design work that he and the Māori design team at Ariki Creative have completed across Ōtautahi and the motu.

While creating this work, Hori is passionate about training and mentoring rangatahi Māori.

“That’s what my tūpuna were doing. Share what you know, your basket, your kete of knowledge.”

“We try to make it a point that when they come to our office, they can see themselves – they can imagine doing it too. You believe what you can see, so our job is to believe what we can’t see.”

Reflecting the same sentiments of Taika Waititi, Hori said Māori, the indigenous people, were the original storytellers. He said, “Our way of telling our stories is our science, our mātauranga.” Hori is a strong advocate for harnessing the power of technology to continue storytelling with Māori designers, including the story of Waihiko.

He hopes more rangatahi will continue telling beautiful stories from te ao Māori.

Māori success in Kura Kaupapa Māori – Tahu Paki

Tahu Paki (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāpuhi) Tumuaki Paemuri & Kaiwhakahaere Wharekura at Te Kura Whakapūmau i te reo Tūturu ki Waitaha said there is a deep desire to be Māori in a Māori environment.

There are 61 Kura Kaupapa Māori in Aotearoa affiliated to Te Rūnanga nui and approximately 7,227 ākonga enrolled in Māori Medium education. This includes the 5 Kura Kaupapa in Te Waipounamu. There are 47 kura affiliated with Ngā Kura ā Iwi and approximately 5,086 ākonga. Kura Kaupapa Māori get better results for ākonga Māori than mainstream education. (Source: Māori education that works | Rangahau – Research at Massey University.)

One of the success factors for Kura Kaupapa Māori lies in their relationships with their whole whānau communities.

“Every major decision goes through the whole whānau community - not a school board of 7 people on an executive. If whānau aren't involved, it won't work in kura kaupapa Māori.” – Tahu Paki.

This is a clear indication of what leads to Māori success as Māori.

Tahu led a provocation, “Mā wai e whakatau te angitu? Who decides what success looks like?”

Lynne Te Aika

Mana whenua led examples of curriculum resources and delivery were the focus of the keynote by Lynne Harata Te Aika (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau-a-Apanui).

Empowering ākonga Māori by connecting them with mātauranga Māori and mātauranga taiao means to consider the past, present, and future.

‘Ko au te taiao, ko te taiao ko au.

Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au.’

Mātauranga Māori is broadly defined as a body of knowledge, experience, values, and philosophy of Māori. It includes the unique knowledge and understanding Māori have of the taiao (the environment).

Lynne emphasised that mahinga kai is a highly significant concept for Māori and therefore is important in our curriculum delivery. ‘Mahinga kai’ can mean ‘to work the food’. It encompasses the values and protection of natural resources and is specific to iwi and their rohe.

This relates to not just the gathering of kai but also the ecosystems and habitats where species are found. It includes the intergenerational practices and tikanga used to produce, harvest and protect them. The mahinga kai video series by Ngāi Tahu features 12 ten-minute episodes filmed in Te Waipounamu and captures the stories and essence of historic food gathering.

Mahinga Kai Web Series - YouTube

A framework for using the Ngāi Tahu Mahinga Kai video series in schools

Lynne shared many other resources including Taonga of the Eastern Waterways, a resource from Kā Au Kahuraki, and pūrākau so that mokopuna learn about culturally significant sites across Waitaha. The workshops at the North Canterbury marae Tuahiwi are an opportunity for kaiako to learn about Ngāi Tūāhuriri.

The first one is at Tuahiwi marae and the second one is about Kemp’s Deed and the Treaty settlement, with an optional inner city walk of the Ngāi Tahu stories around Ōtautahi including the whakairo in Victoria Square (an important mahinga kai).

Getting To Know Us Workshop

The Treaty and Kemp’s Deed Workshop

Becoming an ally

Another highlight was the personal reflection read by Holly Bodman, Social Studies Curriculum Specialist and ‘Aunty Ally’.

Holly shared how her identity as Pākehā and her journey to becoming an ally has impacted her teaching practice.

“Teacher unconscious bias is the barrier.” – Holly Bodman

Holly shared the words of Ani Mikaere (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou):

“There is nowhere else in the world that one can be Pākehā. Whether the term remains forever linked to the shameful role of the oppressor or whether it can become a positive source of identity and pride is up to Pākehā themselves. All that is required from them is a leap of faith.”

Pākehā educators need to continually, individually and collectively, learn how and why to contribute to decolonisation.

“I am now inspired to look at further education to expand my knowledge of te reo Māori, the language, history and future,” says one participant.

Holly’s reflections were drawn from an extensive reading list that she shared; a very important takeaway for kaiako Pākehā.

One participant commented, “My favourite breakout was Holly Bodman. She was very inspiring and relatable.”

Unconscious Bias And Education

This Pākehā Life

Land of the Long White Cloud

Working as Allies: Supporters of Indigenous justice reflect - Groundwork

Healing Our History 3rd Edition by Robert Consedine - Penguin Books New Zealand

Imagining Decolonisation

Stacey Morrison

Stacey Morrison (Ngāti Irakehu, Ngāti Makō, Te Arawa), a prominent television and radio host and advocate of te reo Māori, delivered the final keynote speech on day one about the uplifting nature of ‘mairangatia te angitu’.

The full phrase, Tūwhitia te hopo, mairangatia te angitu! Eliminate the negative; accentuate the positive! acknowledges that hopo is part of angitu (credit: Kupu o te Rā).

Fear is part of success, Stacey shared. “When you’re going to get up and do a kōrero or a haka or speak, and you feel like something is pulling you down, pulling you back … that feeling is ‘hopo’.”

Stacey says, “It’s important for students to know this. Fear is part of your success.”

Stacey also grew up in Ōtautahi and attended Aranui High School. While many are aware of her achievements, Stacey was quick to dispel what award-winning writer Emma Espiner has also called out, ‘The myth of Māori exceptionalism’. (Source: The myth of Māori exceptionalism | Stuff)

“You are not successful because you succeed as [despite] being Māori; you are successful irakati (full stop).” – Stacey Morrison (Ngāti Irakehu, Ngāti Makō, Te Arawa)

Success as Māori comes with wraparound support and kaiako seeing the whole student, their needs, their strengths, and their kura huna (hidden knowledge), says Stacey.

It’s important to know yourself, she says. “I might be my tupuna’s wildest dreams, but I’m also my moko’s only hope.” – Stacey Morrison (Ngāti Irakehu, Ngāti Makō, Te Arawa)

Twin Harmony – Tānemahuta and Teakaraupo Pakeha-Heke

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when twins Tānemahuta and Teakaraupo Pakeha-Heke sang their waiata.

Musicians, mentors for rangatahi Māori, and advocates against family violence, Tāne and Aka were asked by MC Janelle Riki-Waaka, “In your time at kura, what was it that made an impact on your success?”

Reflecting on their time at Ngā Tama o Ōruapaeroa Shirley Boys’ High School, the twins say "It was the people – it plays a big role. You're either hanging with the right crew or you're not. That definitely plays a part in whether you succeed.”

Afterwards Matua Paora Peawini (Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi, Harptree) from Ngā Tama o Ōruapaeroa Shirley Boys’ High School stood up to tautoko Tāne and Aka. “You are very special. You changed the school and made it more open to Māoritanga,” he said.

Twin Harmony recognised for mahi to end family violence

Sons' heartbreaking tribute to mother who was victim to domestic violence - NZ Herald

Experiences transitioning from kaupapa Māori to English medium

Nichole Gully (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongomaiwahine) is a staunch advocate of Māori medium education and supports whānau to maintain a Māori medium pathway and grow te reo Māori in the home.

The reality is, Nichole says, whānau choose to transition their rangatahi into English medium and we need to be able to support our whānau who do so.

Nichole shared her research where rangatahi described their experiences transitioning from kura to English medium as traumatic. They experience a significant culture shock and this has a psychological impact.

Nichole skilfully facilitated this wānanga, highlighting that the journey comes with many challenges.

One kaiako shared, “They come from an environment where they are steeped in tikanga and te ao Māori, and then they become a faceless member of the crowd.”

Another shared a similar kōrero. “There is less interaction with the whānau. They go from a space where all the kaiako and ākonga know and welcome your whole whānau and there is support for you holistically. Then they move into a kura where you are just another number, you are known as you, but there isn’t that whole whānau around you.”

One kaiako spoke of opportunities, “Ākonga come in from Māori medium with solid relationships with kaiako but what are we doing deliberately in English medium to help teachers understand the importance of their relationship with Māori learners? This is so important and can’t be overlooked. How open are we for whānau to have a hīkoi, a walk around in the English medium spaces so their decision to transition is a bit more informed and not based on assumptions?”

One kaiako shared, “When ākonga transition from English medium to Māori medium it is a very intentional transition programme e.g. during summer holidays we run a special programme. But when kids go from Māori medium there is no intentionality – maybe there needs to be deliberate strategies designed.”

There were so many solutions suggested in the wānanga: Māoritanga, te ao, tikanga and te reo Māori are the secrets to success. Nichole prompted the participants to be solution-focused and not drown in the problems with this important whakataukī.

He moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka

A choppy sea can be navigated

Being in a kura kaupapa Māori for rangatahi is like being in a kahikatea grove. Everyone is still an individual but your relationships, and your community support you, and everyone is interconnected. Nicole shared this important whakataukī to explain what it's like for rangatahi.

Kahikatea tū i te uru

Kahikatea thrive in groves

When they get to English medium, Nichole explained, they are treated as an individual, more like a tōtara tree. Strong in their identity and who they are, but alone. This important whakataukī explains what it's like for rangatahi transitioning to English medium.

He tōtara wāhi rua he kai nā te ahi

A tōtara split in two is food for the fire

Their Māori identity and their language are not as valued so rangatahi are leaving half of themselves at the school gates or at home, Nichole says. So, she prompted, how might we support them to continue as whole beings in English medium?

From the rangatahi: know me, believe in me, help me.

“Take the time to be deliberate and purposeful to action these things, prioritise the resources for the transition to be successful,” Nichole says. It’s important to front-load the challenges with whānau to help them prepare.

Nichole’s wero to kaiako, “What’s your one commitment you’re going to take back to your school?”

To understand more about bilingual education, Nichole shared this bilingual education in Aotearoa research by Richard Hill: Bilingual education in Aotearoa/New Zealand (PDF, 155 KB)

To understand more about the experiences of moving from kaupapa Māori to English medium Nichole shared this video of Harmony King-Te Raki. Source: Māori high school students unfairly streamed in low-ability classes, report finds | Stuff

Te Aorere Pēwhairangi

Te Aorere Pēwhairangi (Ngāti Porou) media producer, a graduate of kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori, with a Bachelor of Arts (Māori Studies and Media Studies) and a master’s degree in Māori broadcasting, shared his inspiring whakaaro in te reo Māori for rangatahi and delivered the closing keynote address.

His parents — his pāpā is Ngāti Porou and his māmā is Pākehā — chose to speak only te reo Māori at home. When Te Aorere started high school at 13 he started to learn English. He says, “It is easier to learn English than te reo Māori because outside of the home, everything is in te reo Pākehā.” On his 19th birthday, Te Aorere started as a news subtitler at Whakaata Māori (Māori Television).

“One of the challenges in te reo Māori revitalisation was engaging young people. Instead of trying to get young kids to watch television, we created media and took it to where young people are, on social media,” says Te Aorere.

In 2019 Te Aorere started making Tiktok content, especially for rangatahi and now his full-time job is “to create content to contribute to the revitalisation of te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and mātauranga Māori here in Aotearoa.”

One participant commented, “His story was beautiful and proves to our tamariki that you can be proud of your background and achieve great things.”

A lot of his mahi is about moving te reo Māori into spaces it’s never been before — rugby, cricket, and other sports. Another whakaaro for his content has been “to return the language to its origin, that’s te taiao, the environment.” He created a diving show Mahinga Kai aimed at rangatahi to bring back old terms and introduce new terms we can use for technology. The second season of that show got 22 million views.

In 2023 Cyclone Gabrielle, the severe tropical cyclone, had a significant impact on Tokomaru Bay, the place Te Aorere calls home. His whānau had no running water, no electricity, and couldn’t get in or out of the bay for 6 weeks. This was his reason for doing the 'Waewae The 35' hīkoi — to raise money and awareness for what was happening back home. The money raised created scholarships for rangatahi going to university.

The whakatauakī Te Aorere used for the 'Waewae The 35' hīkoi campaign was:

Māuiui whenua, māuiui tangata

When the land is sick, so too are the people

Using powerful images of the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle Te Aorere shared his whakaaro around identity starting with his pepeha, his maunga, the whenua, the awa and how they looked during that time.

“As students of kōhanga reo, kura and wharekura, there was an oath we had to take when we graduated. ‘Ka puta hei raukura mō te iwi’. “My interpretation of that kōrero is go out and serve our people,” he says.

Shortly after this Professor Rangi Matamua (Tūhoe) contacted Te Aorere to collaborate on the social media campaign for Matariki. Rangi encouraged Te Aorere to change the message to — ‘Oranga whenua, oranga tangata. If the land is thriving, so too are the people.’ “We are turning back to our whakapapa with this whakatuakī,” Te Aorere says.

Te Aorere mentioned ngā kete o te wānanga, the baskets of knowledge Māori need to learn to know who they are. The first basket is land, fresh water, food, shelter, and security. Educators can contribute to this kete by teaching rangatahi who they are by starting with pepeha, he says.

The Mahinga Kai video series also features Te Aorere and Professor Rangi Matamua hunting, diving, and gathering kai with only five items from the supermarket. You can see the video series on the Facebook page Living by the Stars or on TikTok or Instagram.

https://www.facebook.com/Livingbythestars/videos/1024679325436641

“Media can influence the minds of young people to be confident in who they are,” he says. “It’s a platform for us to share mātauranga Māori and to teach them it’s cool to be Māori.”

“As teachers, we hold a huge responsibility to nurture rangatahi and allow space to be who they are and stand confidently as Māori.”

Find out more about Te Aorere

'You've done our Iwi proud': Te Aorere Pēwhairangi completes 'Waewae The 35' hīkoi

Rising stars: Te Aorere Pewhairangi and Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne

Te Aorere Pewhairangi | TikTok

Kapa Haka

The wharekura ākonga from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Whānau Tahi honoured us with an amazing kapa haka bracket that showcased their ihi and mana on the atamira. With a cabinet full of accolades and awards for their prowess on the haka stage, it was an absolute honour to have them perform for us all at the symposium. A true embodiment of Māori success!

One participant said, “Holding up examples of rangatahi Māori to showcase their success in the form of kaiwaiata, kaikōrero, and providing a workshop for rangatahi in and amongst a 'Māori achieving success as Māori' hui shows authenticity of the organisations that you represent/belong to want to do better as you learn to know better.”

Mana whenua partnership

What was special was the collaboration with mana whenua. This groundbreaking symposium for Waitaha was funded by Grow Waitaha however a large group, co-led by and co-designed with mana whenua representatives including Lynne Te Aika and Liz Hill-Taiaroa, highlighted the benefits of engaging representatives from all local rūnaka in a symposium about Māori.

The Grow Waitaha team of Janelle Riki-Waaka (Tainui Awhiro, Ngāti Hauiti), Verity Tamepo (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Mutunga), Chris Jansen and Cheryl Doig valued and gave space to the voices of mana whenua.

One participant shared a highlight “The stance of Grow Waitaha to haere tonu and hold space for like-minded allies to come together to invest in time listening to quality keynotes AND workshop presenters (with hands-on, useful practical components included) at a time when morale is low.”

Another highlight was seeing the breadth of kaikōrero Māori coming together for one kaupapa, to celebrate Māori success.

“Keynote speakers were incredible. Knowledgeable, engaging, really got me thinking about the exciting possibilities for enhancing the school environment for ākonga Māori so that we are providing the best conditions we can for them to grow, thrive and flourish as rangatahi Māori.”

We hope this was the beginning of delivering more opportunities that put ākonga Māori at the forefront of change in Grow Waitaha.

One participant commented, “Reconnecting with the teaching community in Christchurch [at Mairangatia te Angitu] after 10+ years teaching te reo Māori in Wellington and to see the growth of Waitaha in Māori education was beyond expectation but make it an equally exciting space to be in, especially in this current political climate.”

“It was a fantastic way to start the term. My wairua is full and I’m keen to share.”

The 2025 symposium is currently being planned by a working group including mana whenua representatives and Grow Waitaha team members. In response to participant feedback, in 2025 we plan to have day one for rangatahi Māori and day two for kaiako, ensuring success pathways are planned in partnership between ākonga, their whānau and their kura.