Ngahiwi Tomoana: I faked my way through te reo for 50 years

OPINION: Fifty years ago I gave my first whaikōrero on Waipatu Marae. I was 18.

Uncle Wi, uncle Boy and uncle Taanga came to dad to give permission for me to speak on the paepae which he did reluctantly citing "There are only two languages in this country, English and Pākehā."

Dad asked my tuakana Hawea who agreed with speed. The uncles explained that there was a petition before Parliament to make te reo Māori an official language and our contribution at Waipatu would be to refresh our paepae.

Now I'd never had any formal lessons or written instruction in te reo, we never heard it in the home.

Ngahiwi Tomoana says he never heard te reo in his home, and his first speech on a marae was a disaster. Photo / NZME

I'd picked this and that up hanging around the hangi pits and paepae during numerous weeks and months off school with rheumatic fever when I'd go to the marae with Nan and Mum.

My first speech was a disaster.

I was welcoming the Takitimu Executive Council of the NZ Māori Council to Waipatu so as I'd practised in my head for two to three weeks to say "Tihei Mauri Ora, kia ora tatau, haere mai, haere mai, haere mai ra" it came out "Tihei muddy water, kia aro tutae hurry me hurry me hurry me up".

Amongst the manuhiri were uncle Ossie, John Tangiora, Sir John Bennett and that's why I don't remember the rest of my kōrero, but they say I redeemed myself amidst guffaws and leg slapping and encouragement to carry on.

I've been faking it ever since.

That was the year my mates Moana and Syd Jackson, Lee Smith and many others were getting punched in the face and spat upon while collecting signatures for the Māori language petition which 15 years later became law.

This week I welcomed 50 students from Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Wairoa onto Waipatu and I was just as nervous as 50 years ago because they have been brought up and taught in te reo with all its grammatical and syntaxual correctness and language nuances.

They are pukōrero, young guns.

This is a moment to celebrate te reo and its revival and growing influence in all aspects of life in Aotearoa, and at the same time celebrating the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

She used te reo in her opening addresses here before any of our prime ministers did.

One thing I was taught by uncles Wi and Ossie was whakapapa from the Gods through Ionui to all waka through Takitimu, to all iwi through Tamatea Arikinui and every hapū through Kahungunu in this country.

Te Hononga Mareikura we call that. I hold that most precious to this day.

But in parallel, they also taught me the whakapapa in te reo transliterations from Adam and Eve (Arama raua ko Iwa) to Abraham to King David, to Mary and Joseph, down to Queen Victoria.

She was our Treaty partner in 1840 which Te Hapuku and seven other Kahungunu "royalties" signed on behalf of Ngāti Kahungunu iwi and hapū.

The whakapapa and genealogies of Aotearoa and Europe converge in Te Tiriti o Waitangi despite the vagaries of politics, religion and economic and social disparities.

Republicism cannot change the whakapapa connections established over 200 years although the monarchy may become more introspect.

Te reo me ona tikanga has no reverse gear and will grind forward forever thanks to the efforts of those intrepid souls 50 years ago.

And yes we mourn the loss of our Treaty partner Queen Elizabeth at this time, but we also celebrate the great things yet to come.

It's been worth the wait for me faking it for 50 years on the paepae in a holding pattern for the new brigade of leaders.

Bring on the fresh-faced leaders, which I was honoured to be one of 50 years ago.

- Ngahiwi Tomoana is the former chair of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi. He held the role from 1996 to earlier this year.