Day 51:Preparing for Te Huinga Tauira 2010

Saturday, 21/8/10

Wow, it's been 50 now 51 days since I've been enjoying my time here in Aotearoa!!! That's a pretty long time and were half way through the semester now. We are now one our 2 week teaching recess or Spring break! Way too early to have that here since it's cold! So today we had our kapa haka practice for Te Huinga Tauira. We are really crunching for time in learning these, cuz we leave on Thursday. Practice started from 10 and ended about 8:30ish. Had to get food, so I walked down to the Wharehouse area, where get other food places and went go buy fried chicken. 10 pieces for $29....how's that? What a workout and memorization time. Still got lots to work on and memorize, words and actions! Kinda confusing a little bit, I am the only Hawaiian in the group. Everyone is stoked that I am coming. I looking forward to this conference, cuz these are Māori students around Aotearoa that are actively engaged in there communities and the university. And it's a cheap way for me to travel.

Here is information:

Te Huinga Tauira 2010

The history of Huinga Tauira dates back to the 1800’s when the formidable Māori graduates Apirana Ngata, Te Rangihiroa [Peter Buck], Maui Pomare and others, whose mentor was James Carroll, formed the Te Aute College Māori Students’ Association [the young Māori party]. A primary function of that organisation was to inform Māori about national issues affecting Māori. Through the years the name has changed and presently operates as “Te Mana Akonga”. Ngā Toki, the predecessor of Te Mana Akonga existed within the [then named] New Zealand University Students’ Associations [NZUSA]. At the time Māori student viewpoints were being represented by the Tumuaki Māori, a position within the Executive of NZUSA. In 1983, internal issues were to see a breakdown between NZUSA and Ngā Toki, therefore it was voiced that Māori students attain an autonomous body, the separation of Ngā Toki from NZUSA. This was also highlighted by the desire of NZUSA to disestablish the Tumuaki Māori position from the Executive. Nga Toki was then formed as an autonomous organisation under the umbrella of, and funded, by NZUSA to: Deal with issues relevant to Māori students within universities and Encourage more Māori to attend universities.

Funding was to be 12% of funding in 1987, declining to 9% in 1988 and 5% in 1989. This funding was granted with the understanding that Ngā Toki would obtain alternative and additional funding. Ngā Toki was unable to obtain alternative funding so the contract was re-negotiated for a further two years with a set amount of $35,000. In 1993, Ngā Toki changed their name to Te Mana Akonga. Although TMA were supposedly autonomous, they were still under the umbrella of NZUSA. In 2001, the constitution was changed to allow the inclusion of ITPs [Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics] and Colleges of Education into the organisation. Te Mana Akonga, being the national body for Māori Students, constitutionally requires an Annual General Hui. Within this Hui, the primary function is still the communication of issues affecting Māori students locally and nationally. The hui is held every year at a different institution, the format generally remaining the same but the kaupapa belongs to the hosting rōpū. Huinga Tauira is the foundation that evaluates, initiates and formulates objectives and policies of the previous years and the years that lie ahead. Huinga Tauira has institutionalized the introduction of Māori development from the youth of today to the navigators of tomorrow. Huinga Tauira is an icon of national communication for Māori students. Workshops, working parties, sports, lectures, guest speakers, kapa haka, korero, whanaungatanga and so on, all are aspects of the four day event. Huinga Tauira has, in the past and will continue to in the future, develop the strengths of individuals and collectives for the benefit of all involved.