He Pukenga Korero, Vol 6, No 2 (2001)

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Ko Puwheke Te Maunga - Puwheke is the Mountain: Maori Language and Maori Ethnic Identity - Reaffirming Identity Through Language Revitalisation

Margaret Mutu

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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