Young orators impress

ENERGY: Isabella (Issy) Joe in full flight in the junior English category representing Kerikeri High School. PICTURE/PETRINA HODGSON

Twenty-six schools were represented at Te Tai Tokerau regional Nga Manu Korero speech competition, hosted by Te Rangi Aniwaniwa Kura last week, and as always the standard was impressive.

Originally scheduled for three days, the competition was squeezed into two, thanks to flooding that prevented some contenders from travelling, topics ranging from 'YOLO - You Only Live Once,' to 'Graffiti - a crime or art?' and 'Being Maori is an asset, plan to achieve!'

Each student had a support team from their school who, once their speech concluded, performed a waiata or haka. The prizegiving prompted numerous rousing haka, the one performed for Arama Wikaira reducing the Te Kura Kaupapa Mori o Te Tonga o Hokianga student to tears.

Meanwhile, Te Rangi Aniwaniwa principal Hilda Halkyard-Harawira thanked all those involved with the organisation of the event and the students themselves.

"It has been a pleasure to host everybody, and I must say, the standard was very high," she said, while her husband, Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira, who presented the trophies, had some advice.

"If you want to get up and talk like your ancestors, be cheeky like me," he said.

"The greatest thing you can have is confidence. Knowing who you are and what you do. Be positive, look after one another. Happy are those who dream dreams and are prepared to pay the price to make those dreams come true."

It had been 11 years since the competition was last hosted by Aniwaniwa, the event coinciding with celebrations marking the kura's 25th birthday (a reunion will take place over July 4-6).

Results:

Senior English (Korimako): Kanewa Harrison (Whangarei Girls' High School, who will represent Tai Tokerau at the national Manu Korero finals) 1; Te Hauraki Gardiner-Toi (Taipa Area School) 2; Tiaho Mahanga (Tikipunga High School) 3.

Senior Mori (Pei Te Hurinui Jones): Ezekiel Raui (Taipa Area School, who will represent Te Tai Tokerau at the national finals) 1; Brian Wikaira (Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Tonga o Hokianga) 2; Tyson Stephens (Tikipunga High School) 3. Ezekiel Raui also won the Manu Tangohia taonga for the best impromptu speech in this category.

Junior English (Ta Turi Kara):

Kairangi Ihimaera (Moerewa School, who will represent Te Tai Tokerau at the national finals) 1; Jorja Heta (Whangarei Girls' High School) 2; Te Amohaere Rudolph (Kaitaia College) 3.

Junior Maori (Rawhiti Ihaka): Arama Wikaira (Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Tonga o Hokianga) 1; Ari Paraha (Te Kpehu Whet) and Autumn Harris-Williams (Te Rangi niwaniwa) 2 equal. Arama Wikaira won Te Ra Nui i Te Rangi Memorial Trophy for the best male speaker in the junior Maori section)

Senior bilingual (Ta Himi Henare): Hineira Tipene-Komene (Tikipunga High School) 1; Phadray Brown (Whangaroa College) 2; Raerangi Kopa (Northland College) 3.

Tikipunga High School will host next year's Te Tai Tokerau competition.

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