Student's scholarship boost

Te Kuru o te Marama Dewes has been granted a $12,000 scholarship with the University of Waikato to research intergenerational language transmission within Maori families. Photo / Supplied

A Te Arawa university student has been awarded a $12,000 scholarship with the University of Waikato.

Te Kuru o te Marama Dewes (Te Arawa, Ngati Porou) was one of five Master of Science students to receive the research institute scholarship. He is undertaking his research with the university's Te Kotahi Research Institute, which is designed to support, develop and promote research for and with iwi/Maori.

The 24-year-old from Rotorua attended Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata and Western Heights High School. He grew up in a bilingual home and considered te reo Maori as his first language.

"My koro (grandfather) campaigned for te reo, as did my father. My mother, who is Pakeha, also speaks te reo Maori. I was born in it, raised in it and moulded by it. My research is an extension of that," he said.

Mr Dewes believes his research, which focused primarily on intergenerational language transmission within Maori families, would provide a valuable insight into Maori language patterns between family members. It is a case study looking specifically at language use within a particular extended family 'Te Whanau a Te Kapunga' (the descendants of Te Kapunga).

"Ahakoa nga kaupapa whakarauora reo, kei te memeha tonu. Ko te ia o tenei rangahau he ketuketu, he hurahura i nga ahuatanga e tutuki ai te tukuihotanga o te reo - Unfortunately, in spite of the efforts to revitalise the te reo Maori, it is still very much an endangered language. The principal focus of this investigation is to highlight what Maori language practices may be used in order to secure its transmission between generations," Mr Dewes said.

He said the scholarship would give him more flexibility with his research and alleviate some of the financial pressures of postgraduate study.

"It's not common for researchers of this topic to gain such intimate access for observations. I'm extremely fortunate and grateful to be in a position where the family supports and is involved in what I'm doing."

Mr Dewes has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in te reo Maori and tikanga, also from Waikato. He is now finishing his first year of a Master of Arts in the School of Maori and Pacific Development, which he said was a great support throughout his study and has "helped cultivate my thoughts throughout my academic journey".