Commitment to Bi Culturalism

Today was my beginning session with Whaia Manu as I began my course called He Papa Tikanga. This is to be a year's long study where I will learn more about Māori practices, protocols, culture and language. (Ako, Manaakitanga, Tangata Whenuatanga, RTC10, RTC3, RTC4)
During this first module of the course I will learn about Tikanga- Māori protocols, customs and practices, Whakapapa- Family History, Whānau- Family, Te Ao Māori- world and worldview, Kōrero o Neherā- Oral Traditions, Whakataukī- proverbs and sayings, and the Application of Tikanga. 
This course is a level 3 course through the Wānanga O Aotearoa. 

I am excited to be doing this course as I have already studied with the Wānanga before (RTC4), in both 2011 and 2012 when I completed the Reo courses. Te Ara Reo Māori  level 1 and level 2 in 2011 and Te Ara Reo Māori levels 3 and 4 in 2012. Both of these courses were year long courses with weekly tutorials lasting 3 hours per week and they also included weekend workshops and a Noho Mārae.

Within these courses we had to learn our own Mihi and be able to present a small speech in Māori talking about a special person. I chose to speak about the author Witi Ihimaera because when I lived in Berlin there was the Premiere of the movie The Whale Rider and he spoke before the viewing of the premiere.The movie premiered in Berlin because it was funded as a joint German and New Zealand production. After viewing the movie I spoke to Witi and told him how the movie made me feel terribly homesick. His reply was simply.. "then you must go home".

This  is the link to my Drop box to view my Tangata Rongonui keynote presentation. (RTC3, RTC10)

Graduation of the Te Ara Reo Māori course 2011

Photo of my Te Ara Reo Māori level 1 and 2 course Certificate (RTC3, RTC10)

Photo of my Te Ara Reo Māori Course Certificate 2012 Levels 3 and 4. ( RTC3, RTC10)

I utilise my knowledge of Reo throughout my day within my classroom. We begin the day with karakia and waiata. I often use basic classroom instructions in Reo and have also led many Kapa Haka sessions this year with our Kākariki team children when Matua Peter has not been able to attend.

Learning more about the protocols and traditions through this course should help solidify my knowledge of things māori and also reflect my commitment towards biculturalism.