REMINDER - we are phasing out pre assessments…
We will be phasing out the pre (or early) assessments of events timed around Matariki i.e. if you have an event for Matariki 2008 and 2009 you must submit your application/s in this round. The information from our previous ī-pānui stated:

"A decision has been made by Mā Te Reo to phase out the practice of pre-assessing applications over the next two Rounds. A habit of allowing some applications, usually Matariki based events, to be assessed outside of the group assessment process has crept into practice over recent years.

However, this is not good practice as it could be seen to give those applications pre-assessed an advantage.  Groups therefore have two years to organise themselves so that if they have an event being held June - August, they get into a new cycle of applying in the previous Round for the year ahead."

Revised Assessment Criteria
The assessment of Mā te Reo funding applications is changing. There are now five criteria (four generic, and one funding category specific) that all applications will be assessed against. The full criteria can be found on our Mā te Reo website and in our updated Information Packs. We strongly encourage you to familiarise yourself with this criteria when developing your application.

Your application will be assessed on how well your project meets all four generic criteria and the single criteria for the funding category your project relates to. 

Update on other Rounds
Round 6 (2006)           25 live projects
Round 5 (2005)           10 live projects
Round 4 (2004)           1 live project
We continue to work with the providers associated with these projects and it is important that they are brought to a successful completion.  In saying this, we want to thank the providers who responded positively and provided us with the necessary information required to expedite these matters.

A farewell from Jasmine Cooper
Jasmine left Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori on the 15th of February to join the Māori Language Education Team at the Ministry of Education. Jasmine was instrumental in putting in place robust systems and processes for the Mā Te Reo team, developing the Mā te Reo policy and procedure manual that has become a ‘bible’ for new members. Jasmine balanced those processes however, with a confidence in, and belief that Māori communities knew what was best for them and instilled in her team an ethos of client service. We know the monitoring visits were a highlight of her role!

"I feel very fortunate for my time working as part of the Mā Te Reo team over the last five years. It has been a pleasure working with such dynamic and motivated providers from within our Māori communities. As the funding has rolled out over the years, I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to see some very successful and innovative initiatives that have been occurring all over the motu, as well as working alongside those who are leading, and committed to the regeneration of te reo Māori.

I would like to thank you all for my time working with you, and apologise to those who I was a hōhā to at times. I wish you all the best with your Māori language initiatives".

Jasmine Cooper

The Mā Te Reo Team
Clayton Reiri (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne ki Wairarapa, Ngāti Porou)
Amid all the personnel changes within Mā Te Reo I’m pleased to share that things have been progressing very well for the mahi I’ve been involved in. I wish to acknowledge Jasmine Cooper and Nersissa Aramakutu for their help in supporting me in my role, the providers for their positive outlook and my new colleagues who bring their own energy and enthusiasm into our team.

The Mā Te Reo legacy continues to flourish and I’m really pleased to announce the arrival of two new additions to our Ma Te Reo whānau.  Juanita Teepa (our Administrator) and I were blessed with the birth of pepe hou earlier this year. Juanita gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Ahuriri Te Puehu Te Tana.  My wife Linda gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Rebecca Hope Aromea Lee-Reiri.

Juanita returns from maternity leave on Monday the 21st of April, and I’ve scheduled maternity leave for the end of May for a couple of months. I tēnei wā, ngā mihi nunui ki a koutou, e whai ana i to tātou reo rangatira, he taonga tuku iho o ou tātou matua tipuna. Hei te wā!!

Hollie Smith (Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu)
Kia ora! I’m Hollie, one of the recent additions to the Mā Te Reo whānau. I was born in Otaihape and grew up in between Otaihape and Wellington.

For the past six years I have been studying and working at Victoria University of Wellington where my interest and research for te reo Māori acquisition, maintenance, promotion and regeneration flourished. I have been with the Mā Te Reo team as a Project Advisor for close to three months now. In this short time it has been overwhelming to see the range of initiatives that whānau, hapū, iwi and various communities dedicate themselves to, it’s a motivating and exciting insight to the future of te reo Māori in Aotearoa. I look forward to speaking with you in the near future about your project and assisting you in your quest for te reo Māori. Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui tātou i roto i ō tātou mahi whakaora reo.

Allie Hemara-Wahanui (Ngāruahine, Ngāti Maniapoto)
Kia ora! On a secondment from Te Puni Kokiri until June, I started with the Mā Te Reo team in February. I have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside Hollie and Clayton these past few weeks. I see my role as supporting the team with my skills and supporting you to implement creative and dynamic language initiatives in your communities.
Nō reira kei te mihi ki a koutou me nga mahi nui whakaharahara e pikaungia e koutou.

Any member of the team can help you with any questions you may have regarding this years funding round so feel free and waea mai!

Pito Mata - He kohinga pūrākau mō te kōhungahunga

The term ‘pito mata’ is taken from a proverb - "Iti noa ana, he pito mata." Although it may be small, its potential is great. This proverb talks about how an uncooked portion of kūmara was replanted, from which a whole plantation sprung forth. ‘Pito mata’ is used here to talk about the potential in each child to be great and the importance of feeding children with uplifting messages of love.

Pito Mata motivates families and children to sing, read, listen, relax, dance, draw and dream te reo Māori. The inclusion of a sing along DVD with words to the songs scrolling along the bottom of the screen aims to enhance the reading abilities of young children and parents who are learning te reo Māori. With assistance from Mā Te Reo, Takatū has produced this set of beautifully illustrated resources to take positive messages and excellent models of Māori language into the home.

A blend of male and female energy and vibration has been woven into the songs through the voices of Pānia Papa, Awhimai Huka and Puka Moeau, backed by taonga pūoro played by Rangiiria Hedley and modern instruments played by Jamie Ferguson, Noel Reid, Vernon Matchitt and Grant Mikaere.

Pānia Papa says "The inspiration for the songs and the project as a whole has come from my many beautiful nephews and nieces. They are the generation whose senses are in tune with their Māori world - the language and culture is alive in them. This project is a way of finding creative ways to deliver messages about the importance of taking care of Papatūānuku, giving love, appreciating beauty and nurturing potential, to this new generation and their families."

Experience the soothing melodies, vibrant illustrations, creative activities and beautiful stories of  
Pito Mata and take time out to reflect on how you can nurture the potential of young children in your life.  Order your copy today from www.takatu.co.nz or by emailing admin@takatu.co.nz .   Mauri ora!

Māori Language Planning Booklets Usability Testing
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori have re-produced two guides to Māori language planning, ‘Kia ora ai te Reo Māori: Planning for Māori Language Regeneration’ and ‘Te Reo Māori i tō Hapori: Community Māori Language Profiles Guidelines’.

We are inviting those who are interested in language planning to access the publications and complete a survey about them. This will enable us to collect information about how the booklets can be improved to better assist the Māori language planning process, and to determine what other information/resources Māori communities want or need to support their Māori language initiatives. If you would like to participate in the usability testing of these two publications by way of a survey, please go to:
http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/english/services_e/community_support.shtml

These publications and a bilingual survey have been sent to all the Round Seven providers who received funding under the Language Planning funding category. We look forward to receiving your survey and thank you in advance for your time and assistance.

Mā Te Reo Outcomes Evaluation
AATEA Solutions Ltd has been selected to conduct the Mā Te Reo Outcomes Evaluation. The AATEA team consisting of Kiwa Hammond, Timoti Brown, Chelsea Grootveld and Ria Tomoana, will be contacting a selection of providers (past and present) to participate in the evaluation. We encourage you to participate in this survey and thank you in advance. It is after all about securing on-going support for Māori communities’ language regeneration and revitalisation!