Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna: A Whānau & Community Centred Approach To te reo Māori Revitalisation
He aumihi ki te whānanu o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna
Nei rā mātou o Nicholson Consulting e tautoro atu i ā mātou whakamihatanga ki te whānau o Ngā Mokopuna. Nā Koutou i koha mai i ngā kōrero wheako, i ngā wawata o ia o koutou mō te orangatonutanga o te reo Māori. Mei kore ake ēnei māramatanga kāmehameha i hāpaitia i tā mātou ū ki ngā wāriu, ki ngā mātāpono o te kura Aho Matua.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the whānau of Ngā Mokopuna who shared their experiences and aspirations for te reo Māori. Their insights were invaluable in shaping our approach and ensuring that our work aligns with the needs and values of the community.
Ko te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna (Ngā Mokopuna) he kura e noho ana i raro i te korowai o Te Aho Matua, kāti hā, e tū ai ki Te Whanganui-ā-Tara, ki Maraenui.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna (Ngā Mokopuna) is a Māori-medium educational institution located in Wellington, providing Te Aho Matua education for students from Years 1-13 and their whānau.
He kura e ngākau titikaha ana ki te whāngai atu i ngā mātauranga, ki te whakamahi me te oranga ake o te reo Māori mō ngā whānau me te hapori.
As a Kura Kaupapa Māori, Ngā Mokopuna is dedicated to fostering the learning, use and growth of te reo Māori among its whānau and wider community.
I te timatanga mai o te tau nei, i mahi tahi mātou o Nicholson Consulting ki te taha o Ngā Mokopuna hei waihanga, hei whakawhanake i tā rātou mahere rautaki mō te oranga tonutanga o te reo Māori ki tō rātou hapori whānui. Ko te nako o tēnei rautaki he whakamārama atu me pēwhea rātou (Te Tumuaki, ngā Pouako hoki) e tauawhi atu i te whānau me tā rātou haerenga ako i te reo Māori, ā, me te whai huarahi arahi ki te tautohu i ngā tino rautaki e tika ana ki te whakamahi mō te reo kia puāwai ki te reo kairangi.
Earlier this year, we partnered with Ngā Mokopuna to develop their strategic plan for te reo Māori revitalisation within their community. This plan will help Ngā Mokopuna understand how to help whānau on their reo Māori journey, and identify the best ways to support te reo Māori to thrive.
Tautāwhi ai mātou me ngā wānanga, ngā uiui, ngā rūritanga anō hoki hei kohikohi raraunga mō te kura ki te whakatuatu ai ki:
· ngā wawata o ngā whānau e hāngai ana ki te reo Māori
· te taumata o te reo
· ngā taumahatanga ki te ako
· te whakamahi o te reo Māori ki roto i te kāinga
Our team assisted Ngā Mokopuna with planning sessions, interviews and surveys with Ngā Mokopuna whānau. These efforts helped Ngā Mokopuna collect essential data about te reo Māori use within their community, including:
Whānau aspirations around te reo Māori
Existing fluency levels
Learning barriers
Te reo Māori use in the homes of whānau
Mā ēnei raraunga e mōhio ai me pēwhea te whānau whānui o Ngā Mokopuna e whakatau he aha hoki ngā nekehanga me whai hei koke whakamua
This data was used to identify actionable steps for enhancing te reo Māori use among Ngā Mokopuna whānau and to inform their te reo Māori revitalisation strategy.
Ko te whakapakari i te whakawhirinaki me ngā hononga kaha ki te hapori o Ngā Mokopuna te tūāpapa o te angitu o te kaupapa nei.
Cultivating trust and strong relationships with the Ngā Mokopuna community, was central to the success of this project.
Ko tētahi wāhanga me whai nā runga anō i te mahi tahi me ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori, me whai wāhi atu te whānau ki te whakaae ki te kaupapa. He mea nui kia whai wāhi te whānau ki ia wāhanga o taua haerenga.
A part of the process of working with any Kura Kaupapa Māori is that whānau must be involved in the approval of a Kaupapa. Ensuring that whānau were included at every step of the journey was essential.
I a mātou e aro ana ki te whakawhanaungatanga, te āheinga, me te whai whakaaro nui ki ngā hiahia o te whānau. Mā te hui tahi me te whānau i ō rātou ake wāhi me te whakaute i ō rātou tikanga, i waihangatia he tūāpapa o te whakawhirinaki, he mea hirahira kia eke angitu te Kaupapa nei.
Our approach focused on whakawhanaungatanga, inclusivity and centring the needs of whānau. By meeting with whānau in their own environments and respecting their cultural practices, we built a foundation of trust that was crucial to the success of the project.
Anei ētahi o ngā huarahi i tutuki ai tēnei:
Te aro pū ki te whakawhanaungatanga mā te noho tahi me ngā whānau i ō rātou ake wāhi i mua i ngā uiuinga
Te whakatipu i ngā hononga pono ki ngā whānau mā te whakakotahi me te hapori
Te whakarite kia reo-rua ngā mahi rangahau, ā, me te whakatau kia kōrero ki ngā uiui i roto i te reo Māori
Te whakamahi i tētahi tirohanga whakawhānui, kia noho tonu ngā hiahia o te hapori ki te pokapū
Te tuku mana ki te whānau ki te whakaae i te mahi
Te whakamahi i te reo Māori me ōna tikanga i ngā wāhi rumaki o te kura
Te whakauru i ngā tikanga Māori ki ngā wāhanga katoa o tō mātou haerenga raraunga, kia tika ai, kia pono ai ngā tukanga i runga i ngā paerewa kua whakaritea e Ngā Mokopuna
Some of the ways we did this include:
Intentional focus on whakawhanaungatanga through spending time with whānau members in their chosen environment before interviews
Fostering genuine relationships with whānau through engagement in community spaces
Ensuring surveys were bilingual and that interviews could be spoken in te reo
Utilising an intergenerational lens, to ensure we kept the interests of the community at the centre
Providing whānau control in approving the work
Using te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in immersion spaces
Integrating tikanga Māori into all stages of the data lifecycle, ensuring that the processes were tika and pono according to the standards set by Ngā Mokopuna
Ko ngā hononga kaha i whakawhanaketia e mātou ki te mahi ngātahi me te whānau, kia rangona, kia whāia hoki ā rātou reo puta noa i te tukanga. Nā tēnei huarahi i āwhinatia ki te whārikitanga o ngā kōrero me ngā whakawhitiwhitinga pono me te whānau, ā, nā konā i mārama pū ai mātou ki ō rātou whakaaro, ō rātou wawata anō hoki.
The strong relationships we developed allowed us to work collaboratively with whānau, ensuring that their voices were heard and respected throughout the process. This approach helped facilitate open and honest discussions with whānau, which allowed us to develop a genuine understanding their perspectives and needs.
Manakore Rickus-Graham, tētahi o ō mātou Kaiatawhai Raraunga Māori, he Raukura hoki nō Ngā Mokopuna, nāna tēnei mahi i ārahi, e whakamārama ana i tā mātou huarahi ki tēnei mahi:
“Putanoa i tēnei kaupapa, i whakaarotau nuitia te whakamahi i te reo Māori me ngā tikanga hei wāhanga matua o tā mātou huarahi. Mai i te tae atu ki ngā karakia o te ata, te whakatakoto kōrero ki ngā hui-ā-whānau, tae noa ki te whakahaere i te mahi i roto i te reo Māori, i rumakina mātou i roto i te ahurea o te Kura Kaupapa Māori. Ko tēnei āheinga ki te whai i te reo Māori me ngā tikanga, ehara hoki i te mahi tohu noa, engari he ngākau pono kia whakanui, kia whai whakaaro hoki ki te tuakiri ahurea me ngā kawa o te hapori e rato ai mātou."
Manakore Rickus-Graham, one of our Kaiatawhai Raraunga Māori and a Raukura or graduate of Ngā Mokopuna who led this work explains our approach to this mahi:
“Throughout this project, we prioritised the use of te reo Māori and tikanga protocols as integral elements of our approach. From attending karakia in the morning, presenting at their hui-ā-whānau to conducting the mahi predominantly in te reo Māori, we immersed ourselves in the cultural fabric of the Kura Kaupapa Māori. This commitment to embracing te reo Māori and tikanga was not merely a symbolic gesture; it was a conscious effort to honour and respect the cultural identity and protocols of the community we served.”
Ko ngā tukunga iho
The Outcome
Ko ngā whakataunga i ā mātou kōrero me te whānau o Ngā Mokopuna, ko te hiahia nui kia whakatauiratia te reo Māori i roto i ō rātou kāinga.
Our discussions with whānau revealed a strong desire among Ngā Mokopuna whānau to prioritise te reo Māori in their homes.
I whakaatu hoki ēnei kōrero i te hiahia ki te tautoko atu me ētahi taputapu anō hei whakangungu me te whakaurunga o te reo i roto i te kāinga.
These discussions highlighted the need for further support and tools to facilitate language learning and integration at home.
Ko tētahi o ngā putanga matua o tēnei kaupapa ko tētahi aratohu whānui, he ārahi i a Ngā Mokopuna kia kohikohi mōhiohio hiranga mō te haerenga reo Māori o ō rātou whānau ā tōna wā. Kei roto i tēnei aratohu ngā tohutohu taipitopito mō te kohikohi raraunga e pā ana ki ngā taumata matatau o te reo i tēnei wā, ngā wawata, me ngā momo ārai e aukati ana i te ako.
One of the key outputs of this project was a comprehensive step-by-step guide to assist Ngā Mokopuna to collect valuable information about the te reo Māori journey of their whānau into the future. This guide provides detailed instructions on how to gather data regarding current proficiency levels, aspirations, and learning barriers within whānau.
I tukuna hoki e mātou he pūrongo taipitopito e whakaatu ana i ngā māramatanga ka taea te whakamahi, me ngā tūtohutanga mō te whakapakari ake i te whakamahi o te reo Māori i roto i te kura me waenga hoki i te whānau. Ko te whāinga o tēnei pūrongo he tautoko i a Ngā Mokopuna, ā, pea ka whai hua hoki ētahi atu kura, i roto i te whakawhanake i ngā rautaki whakaora reo, kia noho tonu te tipu me te kaha o te reo Māori.
We also delivered a detailed report that offers actionable insights and recommendations for enhancing te reo Māori use both within the kura and among whānau. This report aims to support Ngā Mokopuna and potentially other schools in developing effective language revitalisation strategies, ensuring the continued growth and strength of te reo Māori.
Kei te tino whakamihi mātou ki te whānau o Ngā Mokopuna, nā rātou i tohatoha mai i ō rātou māramatanga ki a mātou i roto i tēnei kaupapa.
We are incredibly thankful to the Ngā Mokopuna whānau who shared their insights with us over the course of this project.
Ko te tuwheratanga me te whakawhirinakitanga o te whānau i roto i tēnei tukanga te mea nunui i tutuki ai te angitu o te Kaupapa nei.
The openness and trust of whānau over this process was key to this project’s success.
Nā tā mātou wheako me Ngā Mokopuna i whakaatu ngā akoranga ka taea te whakamahi i ngā kaupapa kei te heke mai, e kī ana i te uara o te tiaki i te pono ahurea me te hanga hononga kaha e mōhiotia ana i runga i te whakawhirinaki.
Our experience with Ngā Mokopuna offered lessons that can be applied to future projects, highlighting the value of maintaining cultural integrity and building strong, trust-based relationships.
I hiamo katoatia e mātou ki te whai wāhi ki Ngā Mokopuna ki te whakawhanake i ngā taputapu me ngā māramatanga e hiahiatia ana hei whakapakari i ā rātou mahi whakaora reo Māori. Mā te tautoko i a Ngā Mokopuna me ō rātou whānau, e tūmanako ana ki te whakaū ka rongo i te aumangea i te wā heke mai mō te reo Māori i Aotearoa.
We were thrilled to be able to partner with Ngā Mokopuna to develop the tools and insights needed to enhance their te reo Māori revitalisation efforts. By supporting Ngā Mokopuna and their whānau, we hope to contribute to a thriving, resilient future for te reo Māori in Aotearoa.
Mēnā e hiahia ana koe ki te whakawhiti kōrero e pā ana ki tēnei kaupapa, whakapā mai mō tētahi kaputī ki hello@nicholsonconsulting.co.nz
If you would like to learn more about this mahi, reach out for a kaputī at hello@nicholsonconsulting.co.nz
Ko wai a Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna
About Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna
Ko Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna he Kura Kaupapa Māori kei te Whanganui-a-Tara, e whakarato ana i te mātauranga Te Aho Matua mō ngā ākonga mai i ngā Tau 1-13 me ō rātou whānau. Ko te reo Māori te reo matua e whakamahia ana hei whakaako.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna is a Māori-medium educational institution located in Wellington, providing Te Aho Matua education for students from Years 1-13 and their whānau. The principle language of instruction is te reo Māori.
Ko tā rātou rapunga whakaaro e ārahi ana i ā rātou mahi katoa, e kīia ana i roto i te whakataukī nei:
Ko te aho matua te tāhūhū o tōku whare,
Ko te reo me ōna tikanga ngā heke whakamau,
Ko te whānau, ko te whanaungatanga ngā poupou.
Their guiding philosophy is encapsulated in their whakataukī:
Ko te aho matua te tāhūhū o tōku whare,
Ko te reo me ōna tikanga ngā heke whakamau,
Ko te whānau, ko te whanaungatanga ngā poupou.
Ko tēnei whakataukī e tohua i te hirahiratanga o te reo Māori, ngā tikanga, me te wāhi matua o te whānau hei noho waenganui pū i ngā mātāpono.
This whakataukī highlights the foundational importance of te reo Māori, its customs, and the central role of family and relationships in their educational framework.
Ko te tino whāinga o Te Aho Matua he whakarite i ngā ākonga hei tāngata angitu e whakaatu ana i ngā wawata me ngā hiahia o ō rātou iwi. He mea ū ki ngā uara me ngā whakapono motuhake, pēnā nei i ēnei:
Te Ira Tangata: E whakamārama ana i te āhuatanga o te katoa o te tangata me te tūhono o te tangata ki te ao wairua. Ko te taha wairua o te tamaiti Māori he mea nui me āta tiaki, me āta whāngai e te kura kaupapa Māori.
Te Reo Māori: He mea tūhono i ngā ariā hopu reo, ariā whakaora reo. Me rumaki mārika te tamaiti ki te reo e whakaorangia ana, kātahi te reo matua o te whenua whāngaihia ai. Me roa tonu te wā o te rumaki ki te reo e tata nei te mate. Ko te whāinga kia kaha, kia kounga, kia pakari te rua o ngā reo e aroa ana e te kura.
Ngā Iwi: Katoa ngā tamariki Māori e hono ana ki te maha o ngā iwi. Kāore te nuinga o rātau i te noho ki ō rātau wā kāinga. Ko te nuinga, e noho ana ki ngā taone. Nā reira, me mātua hono te kura i ngā tamariki ki ō rātau iwi. Koia he tūāpapatanga mō te marautanga o te kura. Mā te aro ki ngā iwi, ka aro ki te ao Māori, ki te orokohanga mai o ngā tūāhuatanga Māori. Ko te whānau o te tamaiti te tīmatanga o te poipoi, ā, me mātua rongo te tamaiti i te mana o te whānau – i roto i ngā whakahaere, i roto i te mahinga ngātahitanga o te whānau o te tamaiti me ngā pouako.
Te Ao: Me mōhio te tamaiti ki tōna ao Māori – tūturu, o nāianei hoki. Kia kaua te tamaiti e herea ki te ao kōhatu, me hono te kura i te tamaiti ki te ao whānui. Ko te whāriki o te marautanga ko ngā uaratanga o te ao Māori e ārahi ana i te tamaiti ki te matapihi o te ao whānui.
Āhuatanga Ako: Te wāhanga tuarima e whakamārama ana i te tūhonotanga o tēnei mea te ako. Me Māori te tūāhuatanga, me ao whānui hoki te tūāhuatanga. Ko te taiao ako mauri tau e tākaitia ana ki te aroha me te wairua poipoi he mea nui hei whai mā ngā kura. Me ngākau māhaki.
Ngā Tino Ūaratanga: Tekau mā rua ngā kōwae e whakaatu ana i ngā uara o te kura kaupapa Māori. He mea ārahi i tēnei mea te whakahaere, te whakaako me te aromatawai i ngā mahi a te whānau me ngā pouako. Hei aha? Hei whakaputa i ngā tamariki, hei raukura mō ō rātau iwi.
The overarching goal of Te Aho Matua is to ensure students are high achievers who exemplify the hopes and aspirations of their people. This philosophy is grounded in unique and distinctive values and beliefs, including:
Te Ira Tangata: the development of physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing,
Te Reo Māori: proficiency in te reo Māori and English,
Ngā Iwi: security in ancestral knowledge,
Te Ao: understanding of traditional and contemporary views,
Āhuatanga Ako: intellectual stimulation in a conducive learning environment and,
Ngā Tino Ūaratanga: their commitment to excellence, integrity, and the holistic development of students and their whānau.
Ānei rā te hononga paetukutuku a Ngā Mokopuna, ā Te Rūnanga Nui ki te hiahia rānei koe ki te mōhio ki ētahi mea anō:
Ngā Mokopuna: https://www.tkkmmokopuna.school.nz/
Te Rūnanga Nui: https://runanga.co.nz/te-aho-matua/
You can learn more about Ngā Mokopuna on their website and Te Rūnanga Nui here:
Ngā Mokopuna: https://www.tkkmmokopuna.school.nz/
Te Rūnanga Nui: https://runanga.co.nz/te-aho-matua/
Photo Credit: Tom Law CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons