Māori storyteller Te Kahureremoa Taumata entertains Levin preschoolers

Storyteling event in Te Takere's Youth Space with Maori storyteller Te Kahureremoa Taumata.

Māori stotyteller, artist and TV presenter Te Kahureremoa Taumata was in Levin on Wednesday to entertain a large group of local preschoolers with her music and stories in Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō's youth space.

It is Māori Language Week and the library and Muaūpoko Tribal Authority (MTA) put togther a programme promoting te reo Māori for all ages.

Aroha Pakau who works for both the council and MTA said the two organisations formed a partnership to set up a dedicated space where people can speak just Māori.

"We slowly grow the size of the space as it is proving quite popular," she said. "We have resources available to help people learn te reo and many have shown that they are keen to know more.

Maori stotyteller, artist and tv presenter Te Kahureremoa Taumata was in Levin on Wednesday to entertain a large group of local preschoolers with her music and stories in Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō.

"People have come in with all sorts of levels of skills in te reo and we have created a space where they can have a go as well as learn more."

The region's colleges paid the space a visit and an afternoon of games was held too.

"The response from the community to our programme has been good," said Aroha.

On Wednesday 170 preschoolers came to sing songs and hear stories and enjoy the antics of Te Kuharere Taumata who told a story about what heppend if you take a tree from the forest without asking permission.

The storytelling event was organised by children's librarian Deborah Macdonald with the support of Punahau Early Childhood Centre.