The Value of the Maori Language by Rawinia Higgins

Author:Rawinia Higgins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Huia (NZ) Ltd

Kōhanga Kaiako Aspirations

May and Hill (2004) state that staff with native or near-native fluency in both languages, who have appropriate qualifications, and continue to upskill themselves linguistically, are critical to ensuring high-quality immersion programmes. In doing so, children are most likely to achieve a competent level of oracy and literacy in te reo Māori. As well as kaiako and kaiāwhina competent in speaking te reo Māori, three of the four children’s homes were also 80–100 percent Māori-language immersion environments. Though second-language learners, the parents were committed to the philosophy of Te Kōhanga Reo and demonstrated this physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. The kōhanga reo staff that were interviewed expressed that they wanted the children to be confident and competent in te reo Māori, to be able to speak te reo Māori confidently and be well prepared for the kura. This was a pertinent point for the parents because for them the most crucial factor was for the tamariki to be able to communicate effectively in te reo Māori. Since English is inescapable in New Zealand, a good knowledge of both languages ensures adequate access to both worlds. Te Kōhanga Reo kaiako, in this study, also operate in this way. A key aspiration of theirs is that when the children reach kura, they should be well equipped to achieve within both education systems.

Kaiako also had other aspirations for the mokopuna. Hone and Wiremu’s five kaiako/kaiāwhina (teachers/teacher-aides) accurately summarised the aspirations. They wanted the children to be confident in speaking te reo Māori. One kaiako said that he wanted Hone to get what he, the kaiako, had received when he attended kōhanga reo as a child. ‘When I was in kōhanga myself I remember our nannies and that they were always there [with] awhiawhi [hugs and comforting]’. Another staff member expressed that she would like Hone to ‘know the word respect. To be confident but not over confident … Just give them the basic values.’ She said that internalising ‘tikanga now … will give them guidance for when they leave … Te reo would probably be the first thing’. One kaiako wanted the children to do well and for them to ‘be able to give them enough knowledge so that they are speaking te reo in kura kaupapa’.

A kuia who led one of the kōhanga reo encapsulated comments from other staff when she said that respect for one another was an important value for the children to learn and practise: ‘They respect one another, they respect taonga [treasured items], they respect trees, they respect the garden, they respect their kōhanga, [to] be proud of their kōhanga, without being arrogant. Haere anō ki te manaaki i te tangata [Always looking after one another].’ She also wanted the children ‘to enjoy and remember their kōhanga reo and their kuia [nannies at kōhanga]’.

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