Minister congratulates Maori language pioneer
'Outstanding at every level’ is how the Minister of Maori Affairs described Dr Katerina Mataira’s contribution to Maori language revival, as he congratulated her on being awarded the UNESCO Linguapax Award for 2009.
Speaking at Parliament this evening, Dr Sharples said “Te Wa o te Reo Maori (Maori Language Week) is the perfect opportunity to honour a woman who has been at the forefront of Maori language revival and who has earned universal respect for the passion she has helped to generate in the revival of te reo Maori.”
Dr Mataira has been a teacher, community educator, writer, artist and Maori language activist for over 50 years. The Linguapax Award is an international honour which recognises the preservation and promotion of mother languages as essential vehicles of identity and cultural expression.
The President of Linguapax, Miquel Angel Essomba, who is Director of the UNESCO Centre of Catalonia, came to New Zealand to present the award.
“The Linguapax Prize is awarded annually to linguists, researchers, professors and individuals in acknowledgment of their outstanding work in the field of linguistic diversity and/or multilingual education,” said Dr Sharples.
“Katerina had been breaking barriers, and creating change, since back in 1956 when she established the very first Maori language class in a state school at Northland College in Kaikohe,” he said.
One of her key achievements was adapting ‘The Silent Way’ of teaching languages using Cuisenaire rods to prompt oral fluency among students.
“Katerina was inspired by this method to collaborate with her tuakana, the late Kumeroa Ngoi Pewhairangi, to create the unique language revitalisation method we know as Te Ataarangi,” said Dr Sharples.
Dr Mataira and Dr Sharples worked together to set up the first kura kaupapa Maori at Hoani Waititi Marae.
“She helped us achieve our dreams, and in doing so, to create a vital step for all tangata whenua in the journey of Maori language renaissance,” said Dr Sharples.
“She is the mother of kura kaupapa Maori – and she went on to co-author Te Aho Matua, the philosophy and charter for kaupapa Mäori schools – yet another flagship to carry te reo Maori revitalisation,” he said.
Dr Mataira is also renowned for her pioneering children’s literature in Maori.
“Te Atea was ground-breaking when it appeared in 1975 – it is sophisticated science fiction expressed in te reo Mori and complemented by the artwork of Para Matchitt. Thirty years later, she created the sequel, Rhua.
“Our rangatahi, our graduates of kura kaupapa Mori, have benefited from her ability to tell stories through her native language.
“Makorea, in particular, (a full-length novel) was developed into a radio serial by Te Taura Whiri in association with Te Reo Irirangi o Te Upoko o Te Ika.
“As the 2009 recipient of the Linguapax award, Kterina’s work will be showcased to international communities worldwide. I am so proud of her achievements – and know that her reputation is already well established throughout the indigenous world,” said Dr Sharples.
“As just one example, I recall that in 1998 the Rapanui people, whose language was under the threat of extinction, invited Katerina to Easter Island to help develop a language recovery programme.
“Huri noa i te ao, kei te matemate haere nga reo taketake, engari i Aotearoa nei, kei te puta te ihu, kei te ata hoki mai o tatou reo tipuna, mai i te ao wairua ki te ao marama.
“No reira kei te mihi. Kei te mihi ki a koutou i tenei po; kei te mihi ki te nuinga o nga iwi o te motu e whakapau kaha ana ki te hapai i o tatou reo, otira kei te mihi ki to tatou manuhiri, mana nga whakaaro rangatira o nga iwi o te ao e whakaputa,” hei ta te Minita.
“As a stalwart of Mori language in the community, there is no one more deserving of this special honour than Dr Kterina Te Heikoko Mataira,” he said.