Seminarians Learn Maori

Te Ao Hou, June 1975, Page 60

Seminarians Learn Maori “Tihe Mauriora! Tihe Mauriora i te Tae Ao! Tihe Mauriora i te Whai-Ao! Tihe Mauriora i te Ao-Marama! He Toi-i-rangi! He Toi-i-matua! He Toi-ki-au nei! Tihe Mauriora!!” A simple phrase? Indeed it is, but it contains much. It is a phrase one either understands or doesn't. One can try and translate it literally but when you read what you finally come up with, it sounds unintelligible. Why? because there is more to the words than just the literal meaning. To understand it would give a person a great insight into the understanding of how a Maori thinks and even how he acts. (It is a classical phrase which is used as a ‘tau’ or introduction to a speech.) Learning how the Maori people think and act was what a three-week Maori course given to a group of students of the Marist Fathers' Seminary, Napier, was all about It was conducted by Father I. Gupwell of the Society of Mary, a well known Maori Missioner from Otaki and first rector of Hato Paora Maori Boys' College, Fielding. Father Gupwell's basic aim in the course was to teach the students the fundamentals of the Maori language, so that, if in the years that lie ahead of them, they should have reason to have to speak Maori or learn it, they would at least know the basics of the language. And, they would also have some idea of correct pronunciation. In the course he also aimed at giving the students some basic insights as to how the Maori people think and explain why they do certain things, which to the European might seem strange. His aim then was an overall knowledge of Maori and it was very helpful, even entertaining, to all those who did the course. As his guiding texts Father Gupwell used Hoani Waititi's ‘Te Rangatahi I’, the ‘Korero Maori’ series and a small booklet he himself composed while teaching at Hato Paora. This was not the first Maori seminar to have been held at Greenmeadows Seminary. Others have been organised by Father L. Whiting S.M. (a Maori Missioner now stationed at Normanby, Taranaki) and conducted by Canon Rangiihu, with the help of local Maoris from Hastings and Pakipaki. As a follow up to the course just completed. Father Gupwell is returning once a month to carry on where he left off and to make sure the students get the full benefit of the course and to keep the whole programme running right through the year so that the three weeks was not just an isolated period, but can continue as far as is possible. Na Max Takuira Mariu, S.M.