One of the biggest events on the Māori school calendar has kicked off in Ōtautahi Christchurch, beginning a week of sport, te reo Māori, whanaungatanga and celebrating Te Aho Matua values.
Te Wiki Hākinakina o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori or ‘Wiki Hā’ is a biennial sports event that unites secondary students from Māori immersion kura following the Te Aho Matua curriculum.
This is the first time the event, the ninth of its kind in the 22 years it’s been running, has been hosted in Te Waipounamu.
“Kua kaitā haere tēnei kaupapa,” says Merita Waitoa-Paki (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata), Tumuaki of TKKM o Whakapūmau i te Reo Tūturu ki Waitaha.
“Tata atu ki te 2,000 manuhiri ka tae mai ki runga i ā mātau, ana he nui ngā mahi whakariterite, [engari e hīkaka ana].”
(The event has grown. Almost 2,000 guests are expected. There is a lot to prepare but we’re excited).
The pōhiri was marked by spine-tingling wero, the resounding echo of pūtatara and a roaring haka, welcoming kura kids from across the motu to Ngā Hau e Whā Marae.
Taiki Pou (Kai Tahu, Ngāpuhi, Taranaki, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Ati Haunui a Paparangi), a Year 13 student of TKKM o Te Whānau Tahi says this is a momentous occasion for the hau kāinga.
“Ahakoa te nui o ngā kaupapa ka tū ki te Ika, kua hoki mai tēnei o ngā mauri ki Te Waipounamu kia whakaaturia ngā hua pēnei i te kaha o te reo i konei, i te āhua o ngā rangatahi i konei.”
“[Otirā] mōku ake, he tino pai tēnei kaupapa ki a au, i runga anō i te kaupapa o te whakawhanaungatanga o tētahi ki tētahi i roto i tō tātau reo, i roto i o tātau tikanga.”
(Despite the many events that take place in the North Island, the mauri has returned to Te Waipounamu so that we may show the fruits like how strong our language is here, how our youth are.
Personally, I love this event because of the connections made through our language and customs.)
The ‘Wharekura Olympics’ will see students compete in six sports: pā whutupōro (touch rugby), Kī-Ō-Rahi, poitarawhiti (netball), Hopu Ariki and for the first time, poirewa onepū (beach volleyball) and parakiore (crossfit).
Pou says Wiki Hākinakina is more than just a sport tournament.
“Ahakoa ko ngā hākinakina te mea ka kaha kitea, mātaamua ko te kaupapa, mātaamua ko Te Aho Matua, mātaamua ko tō tātau reo Māori.”
(Although sports is a big focus this week - the kaupapa comes first, Te Aho Matua comes first, the Māori language comes first.)
Alongside the sports, kura will come together each evening for kai tahi, providing a chance to connect, share stories, sing waiata and uphold the principles of Te Aho Matua.
Following on from the mass Hīkoi Mō te Tiriti last month, another hīkoi has also been planned for the end of the week - Toitū Te Aho Matua.
“Ko te whakahuihui i a tātau me te whakatairanga ake ki ngā hapori o tēnei rohenga – anei ngā hua o tēnei mea te whaiwhai nui, te tohe nui.”
“Anei ngā tamariki [i] puta mai i ngā Kohanga Reo, i ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori.”
(Bringing us together to show the communities of this region - here are the fruits of our labour.
Here are the children who’ve come from Kohanga Reo, from Kura Kaupapa Māori.)
Waitoa-Paki said she has high hopes for the next generation of kura kaupapa kids.
“Ka titi tonu ki te ngākau nē, ēnei momo wheako kia mōhio hoki rātau a te wā ka puta rātau hei raukura, [kei] a rātau ngā rau mahara hei tuari, hei tuku ki ngā tamariki o tēnā kura o tēnā kura.”
(That they may hold these experiences close to their hearts, so they know when they leave as graduates, they have these memories and lessons to share with students from other schools.)
“Me pēhea rawa e whakapuaki i te pitomata o tēnei mea, te tauira o te Kura Kaupapa. Kia tīkina ake rā te kōrero – tamaiti akona i te Kura Kaupapa, tū ana ki te ao tau ana,” Pou’s words of advice for the next generation as he prepares to attend university next year.
(How can one express the potential of a Kura Kaupapa student. Remembering the quote - a child that is nurtured in Kura Kaupapa stands strong in the wider world.)
The first whistle will blow tomorrow morning, with Wiki Hā 2024 starting with beach volleyball, touch rugby and netball on the same day.
