Te Kahurangi Teinakore-Huaki was welcomed back to her school, Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa, on Friday after winning Ngā Manu Kōrero, senior Māori section, Pei Te Hurinui Jones.
The year 11 student was taken on by her whānau this morning, carrying a legacy seen for the first time at the school.
Teinakore-Huaki says she is humbled to return to kura, stating that she is returning the taonga to them.
“I tēnei ata i mauria mai ngā taonga i Whanganui ki konei ki tōku kura, kia kitea tōku kura, i ngā mahi i tutuki i ahau, engari, kia mōhio rātou, nā rātou ahau. Nōreira, he whakahoki mai noa iho i ngā taonga ki a rātou,” hei tā Teinakore-Huaki.
A whānau legacy
Te Kahurangi is continuing a proud whānau legacy. Both her aunt and uncle have also claimed the competition’s most prestigious titles. Her aunty, Te Waipounamu Teinakore, is a former winner of the Best Female Speaker award, while her uncle, Kingi Kiriona, previously won both the Pei Te Hurinui Jones and Korimako sections.
However, Teinakore-Huaki says she is still amazed by the event and everything Ngā Manu Kōrero had to offer.
“E mīharo tonu ana ahau ki te rawe o te kaupapa me te nui o ngā mahi me te ātaahua o te kaupapa. Engari, mō te whakaihuwaka e rongo noa iho ana ahau i te waimarie,” hei tā Teinakore-Huaki.
However, Tiare Teinakore, mum to Teinakore-Huaki, says, despite Ngā Manu Kōrero coming to an end, her daughter is already looking to the next time she will stand on the Manu Kōrero stage.
“Ka oho a ia i te ata nei, ka haramai ia ka mea mai, okay mum, ka mutu ana tēnei me whakarite ki te mea atu ā tērā tau kei Te Tai Tokerau, engari, me whakataetae tuatahi au ki te rohe, kātahi ka hoki mai ki Waikato, i taku tau 13. Mea atu au ki a ia, e hine, whakatā. Nōnānahi tonu nei toa ai koe, nōnānahi tonu nei. Nōhia ki te kōroria o tērā wini mō naiānei,” hei tā Teinakore.
Ehara i te wero i ngā tikanga Māori
Ko tā Te Kahurangi e kōrero atu nei ki te atamira o Ngā Manu Kōrero, ko ‘e whai hua ai au, me takahi tikanga.’ Ko tāna e whai nei, ko te wero i ngā whakaaro o te iwi Māori, me tā rātou titiro atu ki te whakawhitihanga o ngā reina.
Ko ngā reina e kōrerotia nei, ko tā te tāne kawe i ngā tikanga wahine, me te nui o ngā mihi ka tau ki runga i a rātou. Engari, mēnā he wahine kawe i ngā tikanga tāne, he maha ngā whakatakē e tau ki runga i a rātou. Ko tā Te Kahurangi e kī nei, “he aha hoki rā te mate o tā te wahine kawe tika atu i ngā tikanga tāne?”
“I tēnei tau, i haria ahau te kaupapa, ‘e whai hua ai au, me takahi tikanga.’ Ko tōku tirohanga ki tēnei kaupapa, kua kaha kite ahau i te whakawhiti reina o te tāne ki te reina o te wahine, te reina tikanga o te wahine, engari e mānawatia ana te whakawhiti o te tāne i te reina, engari, i te wā ka whakawhiti reina te wahine, tiro tītaha mai te iwi.”
Ehara i te mea ka tū a Teinakore-Huaki me tōna kotahi, ko tōna Tumuaki a Tony Walker e tautoko ana i tana kaupapa.
“Pai tēnei reanga ki te wero, mō te whakatakoto taki, hei whakaarotanga mā taku reanga. Heoi anō, kei konei ahau e tautoko ana,” te kī a Walker.
Otirā, kei reira hoki tōna Māmā hoki hei taituarā mōna.
“Ko taku mahi, ko te morimori i tēnā āhuatanga, kia kore rawa ia e horokukū ki te kōrero,” hei tā Teinakore.
Hei te tau e kainamu mai nei, tū ai te whakataetae ā motu o Ngā Manu Kōrero ki Te Tai Tokerau, ki Whangārei.
