Sunday, 1 November 2009

01 Whiringa ā Rangi (November) 2009

"Kia mau ki nga kupu o ou tupuna"
Hold steadfast to the words of your ancestors.
This week's whakatauki was explained by Nina Maika (Te Arawa)

With the dual roles as Chief Judge of the Māori land court and chairman of the Waitangi tribunal, Justice Wilson Isaac (Ngāti Porou, Tuhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) is optimistic about the job ahead. During the five-year term Justice Isaac will work closely with iwi claimant groups who, in line with the government plan to settle all claims by 2014, will keep him busy. Maraea Rakuraku talks to Justice Isaac about his whanau upbringing in Waimana, his education and the responsibilities of both positions.

The Māori Language Awards were held recently to recognise those who promoted te reo Māori during Māori language week. Joint winners for the best school award was Nga Iwi Primary school and Sir Keith Park School, both in Mangere. The activities put on by the schools included a karaoke contest and a performance of kapahaka at the Auckland airport. Coverage of the awards feature in this weeks programme. Justine Murray talks to the assistant principal of Nga Iwi School, George Ihimaera who explains how the students did their bit to promote the language.

Husband and wife, Kaaterina and Tai Kerekere (Ngāti Porou) both trained at Toihoukura, the Māori art and design course at Tairawhiti Polytechnic in Gisborne under the tutelage of Sandy Adsett. Kaaterina explains the artwork Purerehua, a piece was inspired by the death of her mother in 2003, at the opening night of the exhibition Fried Bread and Golden Syrup.

Images from Fried Bread and Golden Syrup