Ahorangi Timoti Kāretu discussed the inception and evolution of the Kura Reo, emphasizing its focus on language proficiency through immersion, highlighting the impact of these schools and their role in supporting teachers' language expertise. He also expresses concerns about future generations' te reo Māori proficiency and advocates for a more rigorous approach in revitalising the language.

About the speaker

Ahorangi Timoti Kāretu

Ngāi Tuhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu

I trained as a teacher with a preference for secondary school teaching my subjects being French, German, Māori, and English. However, practically all my teaching has been at the University level. I have a strong interest in languages with my principal language of interest being Māori and its attendant culture along with Hawaiian and its attendant culture, but I have dabbled in several European ones.

I have always been involved in the Māori dance arts as performer, composer, tutor, critic and adjudicator, my principal focus being haka, in all its forms, and traditional chant. The language of chant I find very fascinating along with its style of performance. There is a richness of language to be found in traditional chant that is absent from contemporary compositions and it is one of my missions to introduce new generations to that wealth of linguistic imagery so that they can fully appreciate the rich linguistic heritage to which they are theirs.