Thursday 14 December 2006
Time to take stock as Commission farewells chair
Kia titiro whakamuri tatou i te wehenga atu o te Ahorangi i Te Taura Whiri
[English language release follows]
Kua whakapuakina te ingoa o te Ahorangi hou [Erima Henare] o Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori, na reira e tika ana kia whakararangitia etahi o nga mahi nunui i oti i raro i te mana o to mua Ahorangi, o Takuta Patu Hohepa. Kua puta tenei korero i te kaiwhakahaere o Te Taura Whiri, o Haami Piripi.
Na nga pumanawa o Takuta Hohepa i te taha wetereo, i te taha rangahau, i te taha torangapu, i nga hononga ki te ao Maori me te ao kaipakihi, i pakari ke atu ai te kaha o Te Taura Whiri i tana noho i reira mo te whitu tau," e ai ki a Haami.
He mea waimarie, i te mea nana matou i kaha ai ki te tuhonohono ki nga hapori Maori, me nga hapori reo o nga moutere, me etahi o nga tino ropu o te motu, penei i Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Maori, i Whakaata Maori, i Te Reo Tataki o Aotearoa, i Microsoft me Te Kahui Tika Tangata i roto i a matou mahi.
He maha tonu nga tino kaupapa hou na Takuta Hohepa i whakatu, ko Te Matapuna tera – te papakupu reo Maori anake, ko Ma Te Reo tera – te putea awhina i te reo i waenga i te iwi, ko Matariki tera – te tau hou Maori, ko Korero Maori tera, he kaupapa parongo mo te reo, me ‘Into te Reo, ‘Give it a go,’ he kaupapa akiaki i nga tangata katoa, ahakoa ko wai, kia huri mai ki te ako, ki te korero i te reo,” e ai ta Haami.
He poutokomanawa a Takuta Hohepa i roto i nga mahi whakahou i Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori, me te whakatu honore mo te mahi auaha ki te whakamahi i te reo puta noa i te motu.
Ka wehe atu a Takuta Hohepa i ona hoa o te poari me te koingo o te ngakau, i a Iritana Tawhiwhirangi ratou ko Hana O’Regan; ko Ruakere Hond, ko Wayne Ngata. Kua whakahoutia te noho o enei tangata mo tetahi toru tau atu ano.
“Ka noho te poari, nga kaiwhakahaere me nga kaimahi i roto i te pouri, otira ona mohiotanga nui ki te reo me nga tikanga Maori, me tona kaha ki te pupuri i te hoe urungi o te waka ahakoa pehea te hukeri mai o nga ngaru.”
“I a ia ka tae nei ki te mutunga o tona nohonga tuaura hei tumuaki, ka watea ano a Patu ki te mahi i waenganui i i tona whanau, i tona hapu me tona iwi – e kore e mutu nga mihi ki a ia, me te hiahia kia hora te marino ki mua i a ia” te ki a Haami.
Ka mutu
With the announcement of a new chair [Erima Henare] for the Maori Language Commission it is timely to stock take our achievements under the governance of outgoing Chairperson Dr Patu Hohepa. That’s according to Commission Chief Executive Haami Piripi. “It is largely due to the linguistic, academic, political, Maori and business networks and abilities of Dr Hohepa that the Commission has grown in so many ways over his seven year term,” says Mr Piripi.
“We have been able to forge relationships with Maori and Pacific language communities, and with key national organisations including Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Maori, Whakaata Maori, TVNZ, Microsoft & the Human Rights Commission.
Dr Hohepa has played an integral part in the establishment of new initiatives including Te Matapuna – monolingual Maori language dictionary, Ma Te Reo – community language fund, Matariki – Maori New Year, Korero Maori nrogramme and the ‘Into te Reo’, ‘Give it a go,’ push to all New Zealanders,” says Mr Piripi.
Dr Hohepa has also been instrumental in revitalising Maori Language Week celebrations and instituting awards to recognise innovative efforts to use reo Maori throughout the nation.
Dr Hohepa will be sorely missed by fellow board members Dr Iritana Tawhiwhirangi; Hana O’Regan; Ruakere Hond and Wayne Ngata who have all been reappointed for a further three-year term.
“The board, management and staff will miss him, particularly the opportunities to draw on his wealth of knowledge of te reo and tikanga Maori, and his ability to respond to any situation.”
“Having recently completed his second term as Chair, Dr Hohepa will now be able to focus his attention on progressing the development and needs of his whanau, hapu and iwi - we wish him well,” says Mr Piripi.
ENDS
For more information:
Lana Simmons-Donaldson
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori
lana@tetaurawhiri.govt.nz
04 4716 724, 0274 574 551
Haami Piripi
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori
04 4710 244