爆料社区

Whaea Clara Aperahama (standing back left) and wh膩nau from T膩karo Tahi

A t膩karo M膩ori kaupapa (M膩ori play initiative) in Kaikohekohe in the Far North is helping wh膩nau learn te reo M膩ori and connect with each other through play with an initiative called 鈥楾膩karo Tahi鈥�.听听

Clara Aperahama Kopa (Ng膩i T奴poto, Te Rarawa, Ng膩puhi) believes t膩karo (play) is a wonderful way to learn. She first created T膩karo Tahi in 2017 to help parents of tamariki in kura kaupapa (M膩ori-medium education) connect with te reo M膩ori in the home in a gentle and non-threatening way, that is, through play.听听

鈥淚 recognised that for many wh膩nau, tamariki were learning te reo M膩ori at kura and parents were going to night classes, but there was no shared knowledge or space where wh膩nau and their tamariki could connect,鈥� she says.听听

鈥淧lay is the work of tamariki, we all know that. Many teachers of second languages use play to accelerate learning, whether it鈥檚 through role play, active play, games, repetitive play, waiata (song) or playing with equipment. You can teach anything through play.鈥�听

Whaea Clara saw T膩karo Tahi not only as a kaupapa to help wh膩nau learn te reo M膩ori, but as a way for them to connect and spend time playing together.听听

鈥淏ecause play is the focus, not the reo, no one feels they are on the back foot,鈥� says Whaea Clara.听

鈥淔or parents or grandparents, being able to come down to the level of their tamariki or mokopuna and connect with things that excite them 鈥� and us as well 鈥� allows intergenerational language acquisition to flow freely and naturally. Kia M膩ori te tuku. (Let it be M膩ori).鈥�听

鈥淲hile we had our traditional t膩karo M膩ori, poi, t墨 r膩kau (stick games), titit艒rea (other stick games), i haere ki te eke maunga (climbing mountains), and we went to the marae, to the moana (sea), the urupa (cemeteries), and the w膩hi tapu (sacred places), when you go home you can鈥檛 take the maunga with you, you can鈥檛 take the marae (traditional meeting house). We wanted to be able to offer wh膩nau not only a safe space, but rauemi (resources) that they could take with them to allow play to happen anywhere,鈥� says Whaea Clara.听

So, with the help of T奴 Manawa funding through Whaiao Sport Northland, the kura was able to hire a space to house the kaupapa and provide wh膩nau with play packs. The packs include a blend of taonga tuku iho (treasures handed down), contemporary toys, and kete k艒rero (language information cards) with positive phrases and k墨waha (idioms), to help tamariki to continue to play in te reo M膩ori at home.听

Part of the T膩karo Tahi magic that Whaea Clara noticed was bringing back the knowledge the wh膩nau already had, empowering them, and making their m膩tauranga (knowledge) relevant to their tamariki. Through t膩karo, wh膩nau could learn and share whakapapa (family lineage), pepeha (tribal saying), and wh膩nau tikanga (family custom). 听

鈥淲h膩nau would create movements with their poi to recite their whakapapa, or learn their pepeha with mau r膩kau (M膩ori weaponry) actions. They would put movements to waiata with r膩kau or titit艒rea 鈥� it was so beautiful,鈥� says Whaea Clara.听

鈥�If I were to measure the success of T膩karo Tahi against our own outcomes, kua tutuki marika (we achieved them). Kei runga noa atu! (outstanding!)鈥� 听

鈥淵ou can replicate this kaupapa in any mita (dialect) or rohe (region) and with any activity. I love teaching te reo M膩ori through play 鈥� it鈥檚 amazing, it fills my heart and soul,鈥� says Whaea Clara.听