Funeral director Francis Tipene has opened the door to thousands through his TV show. Photo / NZME
Funeral director Francis Tipene has opened the door to thousands through his TV show. Photo / NZME
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
The country's most loveable funeral director Francis Tipene loves talking about death and tangi.
The reality TV star, his wife Kaiora, and other well known Māori will speak at the second M9 event next Friday at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre.
Tipene said his ease around death comes from his upbringing and the beautiful - sometimes brutal but always honest korero at tangi.
"One of the places that I've learned so much at is at tangihanga," Tipene said.
"Once you take a tūpāpaku [dead person] on the marae and you're able to sit there and listen to the whaikōrero, karakia, hīmene, all of that is like a whare wānanga [place of higher learning]. I say that in a positive manner because if you want to learn that's where you hear the best kōrero, the best tauparapara [incantation], all of that happens there and that's where I sit, learn, listen and understand."
Tipene said the revitalisation and the conversations Māori and non-Māori are having about the Māori language is wonderful. It's the language that our tamariki - Māori and non-Māori use in their daily lives.
"It's a long time coming. It feels right. And the time is right. To be able to stand and kōrero to people, Māori and non-Māori, about how we can use te reo Māori in our everyday lives, in our places of work. And just normalising it. I'm so grateful for the people who have paved the way thus far," he said.
The Casketeers will end after this year's filming. Photo / Supplied
Tipene believes that calming fears people have in speaking te reo Māori is a major key to its normalisation, especially since many struggle with pronunciation.
"We can either have them not try pronouncing their r's or have them try," he says.
One thing Tipene felt was missing in their workspace was kupu Māori for their kupu Pākehā signs in their building, such as the toilets and dressing rooms.
"A mistake we made back when we were established years ago is we should've had everything in te reo Māori and te reo Pākehā," he says.
Normalising te reo through having kupu Māori in the environment connects to M9's kaupapa "Whiu ki te ao - Hurl the Māori language to the world!".
Whittaker's this month received backlash when it announced it had translated its creamy milk chocolate to "Miraka Kīrimi" to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
"It should be one of those things where it's normal. That's how upset I am with myself for taking so long. Even non-Māori come in here and say 'Good morning can I use the whare paku?' Or 'Good morning, where's the wāhi kai?'"
Nine powerful voices, nine unique perspectives
Francis and Kaiora are speaking at the series' second edition, on September 9, Whiu ki te ao! - Hurl the Māori language to the world! Produced by music artist and reo advocate Ria Hall through Janda Productions, the event coincides with the build-up to Te Wiki o te reo Māori (Māori Language Week).
"Te reo Māori is the lifeblood of this whenua and it thrives in so many incredible contexts," says Hall.
"It was of the utmost importance to me that this instalment of M9 showcases voices that represent the full spectrum of lived te reo Māori experiences, from those who are beginning their journey to those born into the language. There is something here to entice and inspire everyone, from all walks of life."
Hosted by broadcaster and reo expert Stacey Morrison (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tahu), the event line-up also includes journalist and trailblazing news anchor Oriini Kaipara (Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe), songwriter, kapa haka exponent and self-confessed "activist" Rob Ruha (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-a-Apanui), te reo Māori lecturer, author and online educator Hēmi Kelly (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tahu, Ngāti Whao) and award-winning journalist and artist Moana Maniapoto (Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa).
Tickets for M9 are available now – visit Ticketmaster for more details.
