Ko Puwheke Te Maunga - Puwheke is the Mountain: Maori Language and Maori Ethnic Identity - Reaffirming Identity Through Language Revitalisation
Abstract
Ki tā te Māori, te whakautu tika ki te pātai, "Ko wai
koe" ko ngā pepeha o ia hapū, o ia iwi puta noa i te motu
mete whakapapa. Ka whakamāramatia te pepeha o Te
Whānau Moana hapū o Karikari i Te Taitokerau hei
tauira, ka whakawhiriwhiri whakaaro mō te pātai pakeke,
"mena kāhore ngā mātua me ngā kaiako e matatau ana
ki te reo, ka pēhea ngā tamariki?" Kua kitea wētahi
raruraru i te reo o ngā kaiako me ngā tamariki i ngā
kura kaupapa me ngā kōhanga reo. Ko wētahi āhuatanga
e pā ana kite wetewete reo e hē ana. Ka whakatakotoria
he huarahi hei whakatikatika i wēnei raruraru.
For Māori, the correct answer to the question "Who
are you?" lies in the pepeha (sayings) of each hapū and
iwi throughout the country and their genealogies. The
saying of Te Whānau Moana hapū of Karikari in Te
Taitokerau is explained as an example. Given that such
sayings are always expressed in Māori, the question arises
as to how children whose parents and teachers are not
good speakers of Māori will fare in terms of identity.
Difficulties in the Māori language of teachers and children
in kura kaupapa Māori and kōhanga reo are identified as
grammar related. Solutions are suggested whereby the
grammar of second language learners can be improved.
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