Maori Speech Contest 1985

Tu Tangata, Issue 26, 1 October 1985, Page 13

Maori Speech Contest 1985

Progression is really happening as far as Pei Te Hurunui and Korimako speech competitions are concerned.

It seems that there’s a special trophy for every contestant. The finalists for the competitions that were held in Wellington this year received trophies for the best male speaker, the best female speaker, the best overall speaker, plus all the runners up. And to win one of these trophies was pretty hard. The calibre of the speeches is high. The resurgence to be proud of te tpha maori, kia akona te reo, kia kaha kite reo the messages came through loud and clear.

The audience was a supportive one. The Michael Fowler Centre, that had been hired out for the duration of the speeches, was a hive of activity. Whether it was people just coming in for a snoop, or someone looking for a cousin, the brown faces were there.

Wellington streets were dotted with school jerseys from Kaikohe. Whangaroa, Whangarei, Christchurch,

Napier, Gisborne, and all the schools in between.

And yet, when these students were back in the hall, standing on the stage, they stood back for no one. They stood there, in front of approximately 1500 people a day, and told them exactly what they thought of today’s world. They told our kaumatua why the rangatahi are the way they are, they told the rangatahi what they should be doing to help our kaumatua. They said things that they wouldn’t dare stand up and say on their own marae. And that is the beauty of the speeches the freedom of speech. The freedom for a woman to stand up and have the chance to beat her male counterpart.

But there is also that one thing that makes things very "unbeautiful" expense. Next year’s venue has not yet been confirmed because no one was willing to take up the responsibility of hosting 3000 to 5000 people, feeding them, accommodating them, and generally playing hotellier for a few days.

But something will come up, Maori Education Foundation, the organisers will think of something.