Te Poari Matua

 Te Tairāwhiti 

Uepōhatu, Ngāti Rangiwaho, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Tairāwhiti Whānui 

Ko Rāniera te manu pīrere tuatahi kua tohia ki te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo. Nā tōna whānau kōhanga reo a ia i tohu, ā, nō te tau 2016 i whakamanahia ai tōna tūranga. 

I te tau 2021 i pōtihia a Rāniera hai māngai mō te rohe o Te Tairāwhiti, ā, ka tohua ia hai tiamana takirua ki te taha o Te Wheoro Rangikotua, māngai mō Mātaatua/Tauranga Moana.   

He manu pīrere a Rāniera nō Te Kōhanga Reo o Iti Kahurangi atu i Te Tairāwhiti. 

He wheako hou ō Raniera i āna hīkoi i ngā pātūwatawata o te Ao Māori, o te Ao Whānui. Kua noho mai ia hai māngai, hai kanohi kitea hoki mō te kaupapa, ā, he kuhu ki ngā tōrangapū o te wā kia whai hua ai Te Kōhanga Reo tāna e whai nei. E whai whakaaro nui ana a Raniera kia tutuki pai tā tātau Wai Claim 2336, kua roa e noho tārewa ana.  

He kaikōrero i te reo i ngā horopaki maha. Ka mutu, he ika-a-whiro nō Te Panekiretanga o te Reo. He pūkenga hoki ōna nō roto i āna mahi i te ao mātauranga me āna mahi toitū i te hapori. 

He Pāpā anō ia ki Te Kōhanga Reo. Otirā, ko ia te Māngai mō “He Manu Pīrere”, ngā kanohi hou mō te kaupapa o te Kōhanga Reo. 

Te Tairāwhiti 

Uepōhatu, Ngāti Rangiwaho, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Tairāwhiti Whānui 

Daniel is the first graduate of Kōhanga Reo to become a Board member. He was nominated by his Kōhanga Reo whānau and appointed in 2016. 

In 2021, Daniel was elected by Te Tairāwhiti rohe to be their representative on the Board.  

He was reappointed as Co-Chair in 2022 with Te Wheoro Rangikotua board representative for Mātaatua Tauranga Moana.   

Daniel is a graduate of Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Iti Kahurangi i Te Tairāwhiti. 

It has been a new learning experience for Daniel to represent Kōhanga Reo in the structures of Te Ao Māori and political forums as a representative of Kōhanga Reo. He is passionate about seeing the fruition of the Wai 2336 claim. 

A fluent speaker of te reo Māori and graduate of the prestigious Te Panekiretanga o te Reo, Daniel also brings his experience and knowledge from the education and social sector to the role. 

As a Pāpā in Kōhanga Reo he also represents the “He Manu Pīrere” alumni and the future faces of the Kaupapa. 

Mātaatua/Tauranga Moana 

Te Wheoro Rangikotua 

Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga, Tūhoe  

Nō te tau 1984 i tīmata ai a Te Wheoro hai māmā i Te Kōhanga Reo i te taha o āna ake tamariki, ā nāwai rā ka kaiāwhina. Ko ana wheako whakatipu pā harakeke tana taituarā i roto i ana mahi.  

He kaipupuri i Te Tohu Whakapakari. Otirā, he kaiwhakamātau i roto tonu i tana purapura. I whāia tonutia e ia āna tamariki ki te Kura Kaupapa, ki konā noho ai hai heamana i te poari o te kura. Waihoki, ki ngā taratī whenua Māori, whānau hoki. 

I roto i tana tūranga hai heamana takirua mō te Poari o Te Kōhanga Reo e aro pū ana a Te Wheoro ki ngā kaupapa nui a Te Kōhanga Reo. Arā, ko te whakamana i te reo me ngā tikanga i roto i te kaupapa, ko te whakamana hoki i ngā whānau kia tū pakari mai. Ka mutu, ko te whai tonu kia whakahōnoretia te mana motuhake o Te Kōhanga Reo e te ture.   

He kaikōkiri ia i te Kaupapa o Te Kōhanga Reo. “Ko tā Te Kōhanga reo he tūhono i ngā kokonga o te motu kia aro nuitia ā tātou mokopuna, hei tōna wā ka rere ngā manu pīrere nei ki te ao hei rōia, hei kaiwhakaari rongonui, hei ringa toi, hei tākuta rānei. He kākano nō Rangiātea, e kore e ngaro.” 

Mātaatua/ Tauranga Moana 

Te Wheoro Rangikotua 

Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga, Tūhoe  

Te Wheoro started in Kōhanga Reo with her own children in 1984, as a mother and a Kaiāwhina. Her flax roots experience provides an invaluable insight into whānau management and the realities of working in a Kōhanga Reo environment.  

A holder of Te Tohu Mātauranga Whakapakari Tino Rangatiratanga, and a Kaiwhakamātau for her Purapura, Te Wheoro has tracked her tamariki through to Kura Kaupapa and sat as chair to its Board, while also having roles on Land and Whānau Trusts. 

As Co-Chair, Te Wheoro is focused on important issues facing Kōhanga Reo, that is to affirm and entrench te reo and tikanga into the Kaupapa, to strengthen whānau so they stand tall, and that Kōhanga Reo is recognised and acknowledged as having its own status under a Kōhanga Reo statute. 

A passionate advocate of Kōhanga Reo, she says “Kōhanga Reo connects us as a motu through our mokopuna, who then move on to become lawyers, movie stars, artists, and doctors. A seed from Rangiatea that will never be lost.” 

Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī, Whanganui 
 

Tēnā koutou. Kua koni atu i te rua tekau tau taku hononga ki Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Piri o Waimirirangi, ki ngā āhua tūranga katoa. He Kaiāwhina ahau i te tīmatanga. Ko taku mahi tuatahi tērā i muri i te kura. Nā wai, ā, ka tū hai Kaiako, hai Takawaenga anō hoki mō te Purapura o Te Kūaka Wharau. 

Kāore au e mahi ana i te Kōhanga Reo i nāianei. Heoi āno, ko au anō te Heamana o Te Piri o Waimirirangi, tae noa ki tēnei rā. E whakaako ana ahau ki te Kura ā-Iwi o konei, Te Kura o Te Kao, kei te taha tonu o te Kōhanga Reo. Ko au anō te Heamana o Te Rūnanga o Te Ataarangi. 

Kāti rā, nōku te waimarie, i taku pōtitanga i te tau 2022 hai māngai mō Te Tai Tokerau ki Te Poari Matua o Te Kōhanga Reo. 

Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī, Whanganui 
 

Tēnā koutou. I have been involved with my local Kōhanga Reo, Te Piri o Waimirirangi, for over 20 years in a number of roles. My first job after finishing school was as Kaiāwhina. Later, I became Kaiako and Takawaenga for our Purapura, Te Kūaka Wharau. 

I no longer work at Kōhanga Reo, but I am still involved daily as the Chair of Te Piri o Waimirirangi. Today, I teach right next door at our Kura ā-Iwi, Te Kura o Te Kao. I am also the Chair of Te Ataarangi Trust. 

I have had the honour of representing Te Tai Tokerau on the Kōhanga Reo National Trust since 2022. 

Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Ngati Kahungunu

E whakapono ana a Hurimoana kāore he painga i te kaupapa o te Kōhanga Reo hai tīmatanga. Ka mutu, e whakapono ana ia, inā tika mai i te Kōhanga Reo, ka tika hoki ahakoa haere koe ki hea i tēnei ao – ka tīmata ki te Kōhanga Reo. 

He kaitaunaki pono ia mō te hunga kāinga kore, mō te hunga kua pāngia ki te rawa kore, me te hunga whakaraerae. Ko tana whakapau kaha ki te ārahi i tētahi kāhui ratonga Māori tekau mā ono nei puta noa i Tāmaki Makaurau, i āhei ai ki te whakataka kai, ngā ratonga hapori, te tautoko i ngā mokopuna me ngā whānau, me ngā āheinga i whakatuwhera ki te whiwhi mahi me te whakawhanake pūkenga (pēnei i te raihana taraiwa). He nui te whakaaweawetia ki ō rātau oranga, mana, me te tapu o ngā whānau nō ngā tōpito katoa, me ngā mātāwaka katoa. 

I kitea tana whakapau kaha hai Heamana mō te Marae Whakamaumahara o Te Puea ki te tonga o Tāmaki Makaurau i te wā i tohua ai ia hai Kiwi Bank Hero o te tau, 2018, me tētahi tohu Kīngi Whakahōnore, arā, New Zealand Order of Merit i te tau 2023. He hōnore nui tēnei i taunakitia e ia mō te whānau o te Marae Whakamaumahara o Te Puea me tana whānau ake. 

I mahi a Hurimoana hai mema o Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa mō te toru tekau tau kia whakahekengia te nama o ngā Māori e hara ana, kia tautoko hoki i ngā pārurenga me ngā hapori e matea ana. Ka haere mai ia me tana wairua tāone ki te Poari, e whai ana i te hunga kua wehe i ō rātau marae. Heoi anō, e whakaute tonu ana, e mau tonu ana te ahi kā roa o Tāmaki Makaurau.  

I kōwhiria anō ia i te tau 2022 hai Māngai mō ngā Kōhanga Reo o Tāmaki Makaurau, kia hāpai tonu i te kaupapa. 

Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Ngati Kahungunu 

Hurimoana believes that Kōhanga Reo is the perfect platform for getting a good start in life. In fact, he believes that if you get it right at Kōhanga Reo, you get it right everywhere else in life - it all begins at Kōhanga Reo. 

He is an outspoken advocate for the homeless, those impacted by poverty and the socially disadvantaged. His ongoing efforts in leading a collaboration of 16 Māori providers across Tāmaki Makaurau has led to the delivery of food, social services, mokopuna and whānau support, and opportunities for employment and skills development (such as obtaining a driver licence). This has a huge impact on the lives, mana and tapu of whānau from all walks of life and ethnicities. 

His efforts as the Chair of Te Puea Memorial Marae in South Auckland were recognised when he was awarded Kiwi Bank Hero of the Year in 2018 and a King’s Honours Award, the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2023. This was an honour and privilege that he accepted on behalf of the whānau of Te Puea Memorial Marae and his whānau. 

Hurimoana worked as a member of the New Zealand Police force for 30 years to reduce Māori participation in crime and provide support to victims and communities in need. He brings an urban flavour to the Board, that seeks to bind those dislocated from their marae and whānau while respecting and embracing the ahi kaa roa of Tāmaki Makaurau. 

He was re-elected in 2022 to represent Tāmaki Makaurau Kōhanga Reo and advocate for the Kaupapa. 

Ko Ōrangiwhao te maunga, Ko Mitiwai te awa, Ko Te Koraha te marae, Ko Ngāti Mahuta ki te tai te hapū, Ko Waikato te iwi, Ko Tainui te waka. 

Ka moe a Rewi Wētini i a Nganehu King, ka puta ko ngā uri. Ko ahau tētehi. Kei te urupā o Te Waerenga rāua tahi e takoto ana. 

He uri ahau nō Ngāi Tai, iwi o Tainui waka, he uri hoki nō Ngāti Maniapoto. 

Kai Te Awamutu a Hone me tōna hoa rangatira a Hani e noho ana. Tokoono ā rāua tamariki, he manu pīrere rātau nō Te Kōhanga Reo. He koro a Hone ki āna mokopuna maha katoa. Kai te Kōhanga Reo tonu ētehi o āna mokopuna, kai te Wharekura ētehi. 

Kua roa a Hone e mahi ana ki ngā momo Poari ā-Iwi, ā, Kura Kaupapa Māori, Kura-ā-iwi, Kōhanga Reo hoki. He Minita a Hone mō te hāhi Perehipitiriana, ko ia hoki tētahi o ngā Amorangi mō Te Aka Puaho, hāhi Perehipitiriana o Aotearoa, Niu Tīreni.  

Ko Ōrangiwhao te maunga, Ko Mitiwai te awa, Ko Te Koraha te marae, Ko Ngāti Mahuta ki te tai te hapū, Ko Waikato te iwi, Ko Tainui te waka. 

Ka moe a Rewi Wētini i a Nganehu King, ka puta ko ngā uri. Ko ahau tētehi. Kei te urupā o Te Waerenga rāua tahi e takoto ana. 

He uri ahau nō Ngāi Tai, iwi o Tainui waka, he uri hoki nō Ngāti Maniapoto. 

Hone has a wealth of experience serving on various iwi Board entities. Hone is a Nationally Ordained Minister of the Presbyterian Church o Aotearoa, and he is an Amorangi Minister of the Māori Synod – Te Hinota Māori (Te Aka Puaho o te hāhi Perehipitiriana). 

Aotea, Ngāpuhi 

Ko Eugene Cassidy te māngai hou o te rohe o Aotea, ā, kai Taumarunui ia e noho ana. Otirā, e tuku ana ia i ngā ōhākī o te kaupapa o Te Kōhanga Reo ki ngā tāngata katoa o te rohe e noho nei ia. Ko te pupuru i ngā ariā me ngā akoranga a ngā kuia, kaumātua tētahi o ōna tino whāinga. Otirā, ko te hohoutanga o te rongo o te Kōhanga Reo me ōna reka katoa ki runga o te rohe o Aotea hoki. 

 Hai tā Eugene Cassidy, “Ko te mea nui, ko te whakaako tonu i ngā akoranga a kui mā, a koro mā, kia whakanuia tonutia e tātau ngā kaiwhakaara o te Kōhanga Reo, kia kaua hoki rātou e wareware”. 

Ngāpuhi, Te Atiawa, Ngāti Te Whiti Kuao me Te Atihaunui a Paparangi 

Eugene Cassidy represents the Aotea region. He currently resides in Taumarunui and is endorsing the Kōhanga Reo Kaupapa and its fundamental principles within his region of residence, as well as his representative rohe, Aotea.  

Eugene Cassidy believes “That we hold fast to the teaching of our Kui and Koroua, to acknowledge those who established Kōhanga Reo, so they will never be forgotten”. 

Waiariki Tūwharetoa 

Hoana McMillan-BA, Grad DipT, PG Dip Ed, Med 

I te taha o tōna pāpā, he uri ia nō Tauranga Moana.  Ki te taha o tōna māmā, nō Ngāti Kahungunu me Ngāti Porou ia.  Heoi, i whānau mai ia i te rohe o Te Arawa waka, ā, kei reira tonu rātau ko tōna whānau e noho ana. 

I hoki ia ki Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa me āna tamariki tokowhā, he manu pīrere rātau i nāianei e kuraina ana ki Te Kura Kaupapa me tana akiaki ki ngā manu pīrere katoa kia hoki atu me ā rātau tamariki. 

He manu pīrere a Hoana nō Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa. Ko Hoana Pōmare tōna kuia, tētahi o ngā kaiako tuatahi o tēnei Kōhanga Reo.  

Ko Leah McMillan tōna māmā kua roa nei e tautoko ana i ngā Kōhanga Reo huri noa i te rohe o Waiariki / Tūwharetoa. 

I nāianei, ko tōna tuakana tērā e mahi ana hai kaiako matua ki Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa. 

Āe, e tika ana te kōrero, ko te Kōhanga Reo tōna ao. 

Waiariki Tūwharetoa 

Hoana McMillan-BA, Grad DipT, PG Dip Ed, Med 

I te taha o tōna pāpā, he uri ia nō Tauranga Moana.  Ki te taha o tōna māmā, nō Ngāti Kahungunu me Ngāti Porou ia.  Heoi, i whānau mai ia i te rohe o Te Arawa waka, ā, kei reira tonu rātau ko tōna whānau e noho ana. 

Hoana is a graduate of Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa. She is a mokopuna of Hoana Pōmare who was one of the first teachers of this Kōhanga Reo. 

She returned to Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa with her four children who are now manu pīrere attending kura kaupapa and will encourage all manu pīrere to return with their children. 

Her mother, Leah McMillan, has been a long-standing supporter of all the Kōhanga Reo in Waiariki / Tūwharetoa. 

Her older sister is the head Kaiako of Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa. 

Kōhanga Reo is her world. 

Ngāti Kahungunu, McGhee 

Ahu mai ngā kāwai whakaheke o Matua i te whānau Hook nō roto mai o Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, whiti atu ki te whānau McGhee i Te Waipounamu.  

I tipu ōna mātua i ngā ao e rua, mai anō rāua he kaha pukumahi, koia te kaiwhakaawe i a Matua kia pai hoki tana manaaki i te whenua, i te taiao, i te tangata. Otirā, i nga mea whai oranga katoa. 

Katoa āna tamariki, mokopuna hoki i whakauru ki Te Kōhanga Reo, ki te Kura Kaupapa Māori, ki te Wharekura me te Whare Wānanga. Koia tana whakatinana i tana whakapono ki te ara kaupapa Māori. 

Nō te tīmatanga o ngā tau 1990 kuhu atu ai a Matua ki te āwhina, ki te kipakipa i ngā Kōhanga Reo ono tekau, kia whāia e rātau ngā koronga o Te Korowai me Te Ara Tūāpae hai tūāpapa whakapakari ake i ngā tikanga ōhanga, ngā tikanga ture me ngā tikanga whakahaere o ia rā. 

Ko tana pae tawhiti kia ukiuki tonu te whanaketanga o Te Kōhanga Reo. Nōna te hōnore nui kia whai wāhi atu ki te whakatairanga i te mana me te tapu o te mokopuna. 

Ngāti Kahungunu, McGhee 

Ahu mai ngā kāwai whakaheke o Matua i te whānau Hook nō roto mai o Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, whiti atu ki te whānau McGhee i Te Waipounamu. 

Matua hails from the Hook whānau of Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, and the McGhee family from Te Waipounamu. His parents were raised within Māori and Pakeha worldviews, both hard workers who taught Matua from a young age how to care for the land, the sea, the people and all things that nurture and nourish.   

His tamariki and mokopuna have all attended Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Māori, Whare Kura and Whare Wānanga, which is testament to his ongoing commitment and support to kaupapa Māori. 

Since the early 1990's, Matua has helped 60 Kōhanga Reo to develop strong financial, legal and operational management practices using Te Korowai and Te Ara Tūāpae as the basis. Matua is committed to working toward the continued development of Te Kōhanga Reo and is humbled by the opportunity to enhance mokopuna wellbeing and development. 

Ikaroa
Peggy Luke-Ngaheke 

Tū tonu au ki runga i te taumata o tōku tupuna maunga ko Pukeatua, ka titiro whakawaho ki te tai ororua o te Matehou me Ngāti Hāmua. Kitea iho ko ngā wai e rua ko Te Awamutu ko Waiwhetū, Waiwhetu hoki tōku whenua tupu i roto i te Arohanui ki te Tangata. 

Ōku tauheke, ōku paheke, ko au tētahi toi o ngā kumu o te ahi kā o te mana whenua. 

Ko Peggy Luke-Ngaheke. E noho ana ahau ki Waiwhetū. 

Tēnā koutou katoa. Ko taku haerenga hai Māngai mō te rohe o Ikaroa mai anō i te tau 2020, he haerenga pōuri, he koa, he mīharo kau. He karere noa iho tēnei nā tētahi mema o te Poari Matua o ngā painga ka kitea puta noa i tō mātau rohe, puta noa hoki i te motu. 

Ka whakamānawa au i te manawaroa o ngā Kōhanga Reo e whakaako tonu ana i ā tātau mokopuna, mātua rā i ēnei wā taumaha. 

Ko te koa o ngā kaiwhakaako kua tutuki ngā tohu, mātua rā ko rātau kua puta te ihu i Te Tohu Paetahi. 

E whakamīharo ana i ngā whānau – ō mua, ngā mea hou, ka whakawātea tonu i a rātau ki ngā hui, e tiaki ana tētahi i tētahi, e māia ana ki te ako i ngā hangarau hou me ngā panonitanga ka haere ngātahi mai. E whakapau kaha ana ki te whakatūturu kia haere tonu ngā mahi a Te Kōhanga Reo i ia rā, i ia rā. Ka whakamānawa hoki i ērā Kōhanga kua rautupu te whai wāhi ki te utu-mana taurite, me ērā Kōhanga Reo kāore anō kia whai wāhi atu… He whakaihuwaka! 

Ko te mea whakamutunga, e mihi ana ki ngā Māngai o Ngā Purapura. E papahueke ana tō koutou whakamomori. 

Ikaroa 
Peggy Luke-Ngaheke 

Tū tonu au ki runga i te taumata o tōku tupuna maunga ko Pukeatua, ka titiro whakawaho ki te tai ororua o te Matehou me Ngāti Hāmua. Kitea iho ko ngā wai e rua ko Te Awamutu ko Waiwhetū, Waiwhetu hoki tōku whenua tupu i roto i te Arohanui ki te Tangata. 

Ōku tauheke, ōku paheke, ko au tētahi toi o ngā kumu o te ahi kā o te mana whenua. 

Ko Peggy Luke-Ngaheke. E noho ana ahau ki Waiwhetū. 

Tēnā koutou katoa, my journey as māngai for Te Rohe o Ikaroa since 2020 has been one of sadness, joy and simply amazement. This is just an update as a member of our Poari Matua of the positives that we see through our Rohe and through the motu. 

I salute the resilience of nga Kōhanga Reo to continue to learn our mokopuna especially in these challenging times. 

The joy of those Kaiako that have achieved ngā tohu especially those that have graduated into Te Pae Tahi. 

The amazement of whānau - old, new, who continue to give of their time for huihui, tending and caring for one another, being brave enough to master the new technology and changes that come with such. Tirelessly working to ensure Kōhanga Reo continues to operate daily. Salute those Kōhanga Reo whom have joined pay parity with a vengeance and for those Kōhanga Reo yet to come into this…. It’s a winner.  

Lastly, nga mihi nunui ki ngā māngai o ngā purapura. Your commitment is relentless. 

“Pono ki te Kaupapa, Puna ko te reo” 

Ko Tom Alesana te māngai hou mō te rohe o Te Waipounamu, ā, e whakamana ana a Tom i te ōhākī i waiho mai ai e tōna kuia, i mua i tōna matenga. 

Hai tā Alesana; “Ko tana ōhākī mai ki ahau kia noho mai ki te kaupapa, ahakoa pēhea, nā reira nā taku whānau ahau i tono mai ki tēnei tūranga”. E whai ana a Tom i ngā takahanga o tōna whānau, inā rā, kua tū rātau ko tōna Māmā me tōna Kuia hai kaiako Kōhanga Reo, otirā, he heamana tōna tuahine mō tōna Kōhanga Reo i tēnei wā tonu. 

Ko Tom Alesana te māngai hou mō te rohe o Te Waipounamu, ā, e whakamana ana a Tom i te ōhākī i waiho mai ai e tōna kuia, i mua i tōna matenga. 

Tom Alesana is the newly elected board member to represent Te Waipounamu. His grandmother's parting wish to him was to stay close to the Kaupapa and support the Kōhanga Reo in any way he can, so Tom’s journey in Te Kōhanga Reo is one of promise and love. 

Tom’s grandmother and mother were both kaiako in Kōhanga Reo, and his sister is now the chair of their whānau Kōhanga Reo in the South Island. By representing Te Waipounamu and Wharekauri, Tom is continuing the legacy of his whānau being part of the Kōhanga Reo movement.