Tauranga Vananga Minister George “Maggie” Angene has called on Members of Parliament to do their part in preserving reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani by speaking the language during Parliament sittings.

Angene at the opening of the 'Epetoma ō te reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani also said the newspaper and television media outlets, as well as his ministry Tauranga Vananga, needed to and should use more Māori language and  resources and promote Māori Kūki 'Āirani.

He urged the community to “Tatau, tatā and tuatua” (read, write, speak) in Māori Kūki 'Āirani.

On Monday, school students delivered a powerful messages on the critical importance of preserving reo Māori.

Apii Te Uki Ou student Inano Urirau from Rangiatea Matavera urged parents to speak in Māori to their children or learn the language if they haven’t already.

Apii Te Uki Ou reo Māori Kūki Āirani speaker Inano Urirau and her Te Reo Maōri Kuki Airani & Culture Teacher Sareni Pekepo-Poila at Te Are Karioi. MELINA ETCHES / 24070206

His speech was: Ko au, ko Inano Urirau, e tamaine au na Heidi Seidler e Omar Urirau. Toku nga tupuna nga tua e rua, ko Peter e Gary raua ko Ngata e Tereu Urirau.

Anau ’ia au i Otereria roto i te marama Tepetema, mataiti rua tauatini taingauru ma rua. Neke mai matou ki Rarotonga nei, te mataiti rua tauatini tai ngauru ma varu. Te rauka nei ia aku i te akameitaki i toku metua tane, toku nga tupuna.

Ko kotou tei angai i te reo ki roto iāku - te au puapii o Apii Takitumu e Apii Te Uki Ou, meitaki maata katoa kia kotou.

I runga rava te akaoki nei te akameitakiꞌanga ki te Atua no te tareni tei rauka ia aku i teia ra i te tuatua i toku reo. Te Atua te aroa no tatou te au Apii e tomo nei ki roto i teia tateniꞌanga. Kia manuia e kia mataora to tatou akakoroꞌanga.

Te karanga nei to tatou tumu manako i teia ra, “Toku reo, tango ketaketa ia no toku ora’anga.”

Ae, te akarongo nei oki kotou iāku e tuatua atu nei, takataka ine, eaa te tumu, kua inangaro oki au kia kite e te mārama ea’a ta toku metua tane, toku nga tupuna, toku au kōui, taueka e toku au piringa e tuatua ara.

Umuumu tikai au i te tamou i tera reo e ina e reo papaa toku i toku aereꞌanga mai.

No reira e te au metua Airani nāꞌau ia angaanga e angai i tōꞌou reo ki taꞌau anau, are mokopuna, inarere, kare na te au puapii ia angaanga.

Mei iāku rai, no te ngutuare te ngai i kite ei au i te tuatua i toku reo. Me kare koe metua e tuatua i toꞌou reo eia’a e kopekope i te au puapii, rapu koe i taꞌau, ka rapu rai te puapii i tana, kapiti ia raua ka riro mai mei iaku rai.

I teia tuatau ra, te vai nei tetai au tamariki, kare inangaro i te tamou i te reo? Nōꞌai te apa? Kare tumu ke, ka oki rai kia kotou e te au metua. Ina, kua rauka ia aku i te tuatua i toku reo ka kore atu ei e rauka ia kotou te au tamariki i te tuatua i te reo.

E papa’a tumu toku metua vaine, kareka ra tona inangaro ia maua e toku tungane kia tamou e te tuatua i te reo o to maua metua tane, e akamaroiroiroi ua ana rai aia noatu kare aia e marama eaa te tuatua ia ra. Te ngakau parau nei au e toku Kopu Tangata i teia tumu manako i teia ra. No reira ka akamaroiroi tatou katoatoa kia tupu teia, kia tuatua ia te reo.

Ei taopenga i taku tateni, te karanga nei teia parapore, metua e ora nei, tiratiratu ei te tamariki.

Today the purua and pe’e Secondary Schools competition will start at 10am at Are Karioi Nui, Tauranga Vananga.