Tāwhirimatea Williams discussed Takiura, an educational institution, focusing on its proverbs and symbols. He highlighted its origins, mission to educate for Kura Kaupapa Māori, and the intensive language programs, concluding with an overview of the students' achievements.

About the speaker

Tāwhirimatea Williams

Ngāi Tūhoe, Whakatōhea, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Mania

In 1977, Kaa and her husband Tāwhirimātea started New Zealand’s first bilingual and then total immersion Māori medium school in Ruatoki, Te Kura o Ruatoki, which was a precursor to kohanga reo and Kura Kaupapa schools. It was an iwi school, which belonged to Tūhoe. At the time, Kaa spoke more te reo than Tāwhiri- who learnt during his time as tumuaki.

Ko Tawhirimatea Te Auripo Rewita Williams:

1. Ko ōku kura i ahau e taiohi ana ko: Omarumutu Native School;
Tokomaru Bay Native School; Te Whangaparaoa Primary School; Mt Albert Grammar School; Auckland College of Education Auckland University.
2. I timata au ki te whakaako tamariki i te tau 1967 i te Kura o Stanhope Road.
3. Mo ngā tau 10, i muri mai, i whakaako ahau; ki te Kura o Pakuranga, me ōku tūnga tumuaki i roto i ngā kura o Te Whetu , Kawhia me Pātea.
4. I te tau 1977 i tohungia ahau hai tumuaki mo te Kura o Ruatoki, te kura tuatahi, i whakamanangia e te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, hai kura whakaako i āna marautanga i roto i te reo o Tuhoe.
5. I whakaako māua ko Kaa ki te Kura o Ruatoki mo ngā tau 19. Ko te whakatau ā te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, me reo rua te Kura o Ruātoki, engari i roto i te 6 marama i hurihia te kura e māua ko Kaa, hei reo Tuhoe anake.
6. I muri mai, i raro i ngā hiahia o te Pīhopa o Aotearoa, Pīhopa Whakahuihui Vercoe i neke māua ko Kaa ki St Johns Theological College ki te kawe i te tūnga Academic Administrator, me te tūnga kaiwhakaako i te reo Māori, mai i te tau 1997 ki te 1998.
7. I te tau 1999, na te matenga o Tuki Nepe, i riro i ahau te tūnga Kaitiaki Huhua o Te Wānanga Takiura o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa. He Wānanga Tūmataiti, he Wānanga Rumaki i roto i te reo Māori anake, ki te whakangungu tauira, hai kaiako i roto i ngā momo Kura Kaupapa Māori huri noa i te motu.
8. Kei konei tonu māua ko Kaa, me ā māua tamariki, ā Kim rāua ko Tawhiri paku, e pouako ana, e kauhau ana, hoki.