At Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, we had a wonderful time celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with a week filled with fun and learning. Each day, we shared a Kupu o te Rā (word of the day) to encourage everyone to use te reo Māori around the office.

During our staff hui, we enjoyed kēmu reo (language games), karakia (prayers), and waiata (songs), which brought us together and allowed us to connect through te reo. A highlight for many was the Wharewhare (bingo) session, where we all had a great time learning and playing together.

The highlight of the week was our poi making workshop, where everyone got creative making their own poi, followed by a short performance. We then shared a delicious hāngī lunch and were treated to an incredible performance from the Te Pā o Rākaihautū kapa haka group. It was truly tumeke (amazing) to watch their powerful waiata and haka.

Overall, it was a fantastic week that brought us closer as a team and strengthened our commitment to te reo Māori. We’re already looking forward to continuing this journey next year. Kia kaha te reo Māori!