Driven by a group of parents, their plan is for the kōhanga reo — where children aged from birth to 6 gain total immersion in te reo Māori and customs — to take over from a bilingual playgroup, Te Puna Ako o Tāhuna, running at different sites in Queenstown and Arrowtown for about 10 years.
Since November, the playgroup’s been operating once a week in a two-classroom block at Arrowtown School, under the supervision of parents and kaiako (teacher) Tere Carroll.
Called Te Kōhanga Reo o Whakatipu, it’s expected to begin operating with 20-25 children, and is open to families from any ethnic or cultural background.
Five kaiako are training through Rapaki Marae, near Christchurch, while komiti chair Brendon McIntosh says they’re working with the Education Ministry to finalise a lease of the Arrowtown School building.
Having become involved with the playgroup through his two younger children, McIntosh says the goal of establishing the kōhanga reo is "bigger than just my whanau".
"It’s for those who will come in the future."
Arrowtown School principal James Rasmussen says supporting the playgroup and kōhanga reo will benefit the school’s own teaching of all things Māori.
- For more info, or to register interest, visit whakatipukohanga.com
