Free te reo Māori beginner lessons on offer in Stratford

The te reo Māori lessons will take place at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Stratford. Photo / Alyssa Smith

A free te reo Māori class for beginners is starting in Stratford.

Reverend Paul Bowers-Mason, missioner for Central Taranaki, has started the lessons to encourage the community to learn the language.

“Te reo Māori is one of three languages in New Zealand. I attend the lessons at Whaakahurangi Marae, taught by Herewini Nopera. He has taught me, and the community, so much about te reo and the Māori culture. He runs lessons for people ranging from beginners to those who are more fluent in te reo. My plan is to run beginner-level lessons to help with pronunciation, greetings, waiata and karakia.”

Paul has hosted a number of lessons in New Plymouth.

“Those have gone well. My aim as missioner for Central Taranaki is to bring the community together, and I thought running these sessions [would be] a great way to do that. I want to reach into the Stratford community and connect with the people, and also help them connect with te reo. Te reo is an important part of who we are as New Zealanders, and I think it’s important everyone has a basic understanding of te reo.”

Paul, who is also a musician, says he will use music to help teach people.

“I will use waiata as a vehicle to help with learning te reo. I also have a background as a language teacher, and I’ve found that when learning a language, you understand the people who speak that language more - not just what they’re saying, but who they are as a person. It’s quite a wonderful thing to experience.”

The first Stratford lesson takes place on March 28, with the sessions planned to be ongoing.

“There’s no end date in sight. This is something that will be kept at the beginner level the whole way, so people can join in at any time and come along when suits them. I’ve made these free sessions half an hour long to make it more accessible. I can’t wait to help others learn and appreciate this beautiful language.”

The Details:

What: Te reo Māori beginner lessons

When: Starting Tuesday, March 28, then every Tuesday after from 6pm - 6.30pm.

Where: Holy Trinity Anglican Church, corner of Regan and Juliet streets

Cost: Free