Ō Rangaranga with Tepora Hona

Ko Tepora Hona tōku nei ingoa. Ko au tētehi o ngā kaitakawaenga i te tari o Whakatāne...I te tautoko i te kaupapa, ko te reo. 

Tepora Hona is my name. I am a Care & Protection Coordinator of the Office in Whakatānae. I was supporting the event, based on the language. 

Ko te hā o te reo ko te ahurea, ko te hā o te ahurea, ko te reo. Me haere tahi rāua. 

The essence of the language is culture, the essence of culture is the language. They should work collectively together. 

Koinā taku mahi, tino hiahia, te mahi i te taha o ngā mokopuna, whānau, hapū, iwi, ā, koinā te huarahi tika ki ahau, mōhau, mō rātou, mō tātou. 

That is my job, and desire, to work with the grandchildren, families, subtribes, and tribal affiliations, for me, that’s that right pathway, for you, for them, for us all. 

Kei te haere tonu tērā āhua i tō mātou tari, ko ahau tētahi o ngā kuia o te tari, ā, ko ahau, kei te wero i ngā kaimahi mō te reo, ā, koinā taku mahi i reira, ā, he mana wahine ahau.  

That type of approach is still being used in our office, I am one of the older nannies of the office who challenge the staff regarding the Māori language, and, as  a staunch Māori woman that’s one of my roles there. 

Kei te hiahia ahau kia mōhio te katoa, nā te mea, te nuinga o ngā mokopuna kei roto i a Oranga Tamariki he Māori. Koinā.  

I want every one to understand, because the majority of children in our care are Māori. That’s my why. 

I te pōhēhē ahau, he aha tēnei mea te Ō Rangaranga, ā, nā, koinā, ka huri taku ingoa ki runga i te pānui nā te mea kei te pirangi ahau ki te mōhio ka pēhea hoki ēnei whakahaere, me te tūmanako, ā, ka noho tēnei mahi, te Ō Rangaranga mō ake, ake, tonu atu i roto i...i tōku nei noho i roto i tēnei Oranga Tamariki, ka kite ahau i tēnei āhua i puta mai, ā, ka kore, ka puta mai anō tētahi āhua, ka kore. Ko te tūmanako kua kitea e tātou te huarahi tino tika mō ngā mokopuna i roto i a Oranga Tamariki. 

I was puzzled, what is this thing called Ō Rangaranga? I registered my interest because I wanted to know what was going on here, I now hope that Ō Rangaranga becomes established as a constant fixture. In my time at Oranga Tamariki, I have seen things introduced and dismissed. I sincerely hope that we have found a pathway that will help support the notion that we put tamariki first in Oranga Tamariki. 

Kei konei ahau, kei konei ahau e ako ana, ahakoa taku nei pakeke, mōhio ahau, kāore ahau e mōhio ana ki te katoa. Koinā te āhua kāore e taea te mutunga o te ako, kāore e taea.  

I’m here learning, despite my age, and, I know that I’ve still got lots to learn. It’s never ending. Never ending.