TE WĀNANGA WRITING EVENT
Twenty Rangitāne and extended whānau members registered for the third Te Wānanga Writing Event that was held in October 2021. Rangatahi, pakeke and pēperekōu took part over the three days, however, due to the COVD-19 environment at the time the whole event was facilitated online.
The name ‘Te Wānanga’ has been revived from the name of a newspaper published in the 1870’s. Through this newspaper, Henare Matua and others ensured that our people were kept up to date with current information. This included updates from the Land Repudiation Movement and writings were written on both Te Reo Māori and English. Members of the Ngāti Parakiore nation wanted to keep the original intent alive, by printing stories about our people, written by our people, for our people.
Writers were supported by our whanaunga Mike Kawana and Brian Morris who inspired whānau by sharing their skills and experiences of composing waiata, haka and mōteatea, and suggestions on how to capture the essence of a story, highlight a character, or an event. While the online platform was new to all of us, the resulting publication is a wonderful collection of poems, waiata and short stories in Te Reo Māori and English. “Te Wānanga Ngāpaeruru” was released in December 2021 and is available from Te Manawa Museum, Palmerston North, the Tararua i-Site in Woodville or by emailing moreporkmt@xtra.co.nz . Copies will also be distributed to all Tamaki nui ā Rua libraries in Norsewood, Dannevirke, Woodville, Pahiatua and Eketahuna.
