Helping Maori rangatahi to be leaders of tomorrow

GOOD START: Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Horouta Wananga and Gisborne Girls’ High School students set the stage for the annual Maori leaders conference with a powhiri at Te Poho o Rawiri Marae yesterday. The conference, Te Eketu o te? Rangi, aims to “inspire and empower” rangatahi with keynote speakers and entertainment from around the rohe (region). Picture by Paul Rickard

Hundreds of Maori leaders and education influencers are at the Maori leaders conference, Te Eketu o te Rangi, which opened at Te Poho o Rawiri Marae yesterday.

Rangatahi (youth) are a target audience for the conference, which aims to “inspire and empower”.

Ex-Gisborne Girls’ High School student Puna Whakaata Maniapoto-Love spoke last night at the conference.

“I believe that it is important to hear the voices of our rangatahi. We are the leaders for tomorrow and contrasting our ideas with kaiako (teachers) and educators can take us to many great places.”

MC Victor Walker said the name of the conference comes from Te Poho o Rawiri, from tipuna, Rawiri te Eketu o te Rangi.

He was from Ngati Oneone and Te Aitanga a Mahaki, and was an outstanding leader of his time (1800s) in Turanga, Mr Walker said.

“We wanted this conference to embody our aspirations and encapsulate what it means to be a Maori leader.”

More coverage of the two-day conference next week.