Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)
PPTA Te Wehengarua’s newest staff members aim to help teachers on their Ao Māori journeys through a new professional development programme.
Kōkā-hauwai Turei and Hosea Tuita’alili have joined the team at PPTA Te Wehengarua to help bring te reo to teachers.
The education officers/Āpiha Mātauranga, are funded through the $12 million teacher professional development fund negotiated as part of the 2019 collective agreements. The pair are in the process of creating a professional development programme catering for teachers who have little to no te reo, based around te reo Māori me ngā Tikanga at the basic level. It’s called Te Tatau ki Te Ao Māori – The Doorway to the Māori World.
Join the reo revolution – Kōkā-hauwai Turei
“Tutungia te hatete o te reo.
Kei ngā maunga whakahī e tū kāweka ana i ō whenua taurikura, e mihi ana.
He mokopuna tēnei nō Te Tairāwhiti whānui. Ko Hikurangi te maunga. Ko Waiapu te awa. Ko Ngāti Porou te iwi. Ko Nukutaememeha te waka. Ko Te Aowera, Te Aitanga-a-Mate me Te Awe Māpara ngā hapū.
Ko Kōkā-hauwai Turei tōku ingoa.
Tēnā kautau katoa. My name is Kōkā-hauwai Turei and I hail from the East Coast of the North Island.
I have been a secondary school teacher for the past 11 years, in schools throughout the country. I also have experience in ECE and tertiary education. My passion is haka, interpretive dance and waiata.
I look forward to working with Hosea to engage with you and develop this program to the best of our abilities.”
Te Tatau ki te Ao Māori simply means a door to the Māori world, Kōkā-hauwai says. “This course aims to allow you a glimpse in to te ao Māori via reo (language), tikanga (customs), waiata (songs) and discussions. We endeavour to create a safe environment for all to learn.”
Kōkā-hauwai’s passion for helping start or further Ao Māori journeys drew her to PPTA Te Wehengarua. “I saw this as a reo strategy and a great opportunity to get on the PPTA vehicle and drive into the future.”
She is enjoying the friendly environment at PPTA Te Wehengarua national office. “I’m very grateful that the team have had open arms, never short of kaiāwhina here.”
Getting the Kaupapa out to schools will be the first challenge, Kōkā-hauwai says, with the second being how the course will be delivered during the pandemic. She is most looking forward to getting out and meeting our members.
“Contact us to join the reo revolution.”
Te reo is a taonga – Hosea Tuita’alili
“Ko te tohu o te rangatira, he pātaka e tū mai nā o roto i te pā tūwatawata.
Ko ngā tai e whā e pupuru nei i te mana, te ihi me te wehi – tēnei au ka mihi. He uri nō te whenua haumako o Hāmoa ki Te Moananui a Kiwa. Ko Fito te maunga. ko Vailima te awa. Ko Lauli’i me Falealili ngā hapū. Ko Hāmoa te Iwi.
Ko Hosea Tuita’alili tōku ingoa
Tēnā koutou and Talofa Lava. My name is Hosea Tuita’alili and I was born and bred in Lower Hutt, Wellington. Despite not having whakapapa Māori, I have a deep passion for the reo which was nurtured from high school, university all the way into the present time. I was contracted as a performer for Taki Rua Productions before applying for this role.
Te reo Māori is a taonga that must be preserved and cherished, so it was my honour to be appointed to this position in PPTA to create this kaupapa alongside my colleague Kōkā-hauwai.”
Hosea saw PPTA Te Wehengarua’s call for someone who could teach Māori to adults, and particularly teachers, and felt he had the skills for the job.
“It is still taking some time to get used to, at times I have felt like a headless chicken. However, it has been very helpful having Kōkā-hauwai to bounce off whakaaro. The staff at the national office are also very friendly and it’s lovely to know they believe in Kōkā-hauwai and I to create this kaupapa.
Hosea is also looking forward to meeting and networking with members, PPTA Te Wehengarua executive and field officers from different regions.
“I think the first time going out and teaching this kaupapa will be the biggest challenge as we would be setting the tone for how it’s going to turn out, also first impressions are a thing so it will be important to leave a very good one,” he said.
For further information contact Hosea and Kōkā-hauwai at:
htuita’alili@ppta.org.nz
kturei@ppta.org.nz
