An authority on, and an activist for the language

Hiria Tumoana is a Senior Lecturer/Kaiwhakaako for Te Ūranga Waka (School of Māori Studies), Faculty of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences at EIT | Eastern institute of Technology.

Her tribe is Ngāi Tūhoe. Her marae are Tauarau, Waikirikiri, Ōhotu, and Ngāhina.

Hiria Tumoana is an icon in the Māori world for her life-time commitment to, and achievements in the revitalisation and teaching of the Māori language which dates to the Te Reo Māori Petition. She is a native speaker, was raised in her traditional tribal setting of Tuhoe, studied linguistics, and has a passion and gift for teaching the Māori language. In 1998, she gained a highly prestigious role at the Māori Language Commission as an examiner.

Hiria has taught at EIT for some 40 years and is highly sought after by students. She appeals to mixed generations of youth, adults and elders. She uses a blend of traditional and modern pedagogies; and has inspired thousands of learners in contexts from traditional classrooms, to marae, to Māori radio. Her teaching approach is direct and injected with humour. She is also described as sharp, highly intelligent, empathetic, and as a warrior woman. Hiria consistently receives great student evaluation feedback.

One student commented, “Whaea Hiria is one of my greatest luminaries and I will forever be grateful for all the teachings and learnings she has given and still continues to give me on a daily basis.”

Te puna o te kī, te whītiki o te kī

Ko Hiria Tumoana.

He Senior Lecturer/Kaiwhakaako i Te Ūranga Waka (School of Māori Studies), Faculty of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences,  i te EIT.

Ko Ngāi Tūhoe tōna iwi. Ko Tauarau, ko Waikirikiri, ko Ōhotu, ko Ngāhina ōna marae.

He tino rongonui a Hiria Tumoana mō tōna pūmau me tōna pukumahi ki te whakahaumanu me te whakaako i te reo Māori, mai rā anō i te wā o Te Petihana Reo Māori. I tipu ake ia i roto i te mātotorutanga o te reo me ngā tikanga Māori i roto o Tūhoe; he matatau ia ki te wetewete reo; he ngākau nui ki te reo Māori; ā, he tohunga ki te whakaako. I te tau 1988 ka whai tūranga teitei ia i Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori hei kaiwhakamātautau.

Tōna whā tekau a Hiria e whakaako ana i te EIT. E kaha hiahiatia ana ia e ngā ākonga. Rangatahi mai, mātua mai, kaumātua mai, ngākau nui katoa ai rātou ki a ia. Whakamahia ai e ia ngā āhuatanga whakaako tawhito, hou hoki; ā, he manomano ngā ākonga kua whakahihikotia e ia i rō akomanga, i runga marae, i runga reo irirangi Māori rānei. He hāngai tika, he pukuhohe tōna āhua. Ko etahi ake kupu mōna, he koi, he matatau, he aroha, ā, he wahine toa. Ia tau, ka rite ngā kōrero whakapaipai ā ngā ākonga mōna.

Ko tā tetahi akonga, "Ko Whaea Hiria tetahi o aku tino iho pumanawa. E kore e mutu aku mihi ki a ia mō āna whakaakoranga me āna akoranga, mai rā anō, ā, haere tonu ake nei, ia rā, ia rā."