Certificate in Māori Language

Back in June, I completed my Level 4 certificate in te reo Māori (Māori language). As I shared a while back, it was an online course that started back in January. Several of my colleagues did it as well, and we all supported each other to varying degrees, but mostly worked independently at home. 

I found the course impressively resourced and useful for something that is completely free to all students. I got to listen to audio tracks of a native Māori speaker interacting with her whānau (family) throughout daily events, as well as retellings of well-known fairy tales is te reo Māori. The former were often helpful in building vocabulary and grammar, but frankly, not super interesting. The latter were endlessly entertaining to me, as I delighted in using a combination of my knowledge of the Māori language and my knowledge of these stories in order to piece together and puzzle out the language itself. None of the stories were translated into English, but I was always able to figure it all out. The coolest thing that came out of this is that I can now tell the story of Ngā Poaka e Toru (The Three Pigs) entirely in te reo Māori. I made puppets to go along with the story, and so I tell it and act it out. I used the version from the course as a foundation, but modified and rewrote parts of it so that all the phrases are much more concretely connected to what I can show with the puppets, so that the children can be building their understanding without the need for English translations. Unsurprisingly, the children are picking it up faster than I ever could, and last week they acted it out themselves, with me providing the narration and them saying the characters' lines, all in te reo Māori. Some of them asked for reminders of what to say, but many of them completely knew the lines already from me telling and retelling the story. It was amazing and rewarding to see.

I am also using an app that lets me make my own flashcards to study words and phrases. I want to drill them into my head so thoroughly that when the occasion presents itself to use them, I am ready and not wasting time searching through my memory trying to find the right words. I think it is working rather well, although I still need lots more work.

This week, I received my whakapūmau (certificate) in the mail, so it's all official.

I have done my best to translate it for you, with help from a Māori-English dictionary.

University of Raukawa

I will not fail.

Emma Leilani Mercier has completely the learning for the qualification of Poupou Huia te Reo on the 30th of June 2017.

Certified by the professor of Raukawa University.

The president addressed the assembly, and this certificate was awarded.

I'm feeling wonderful about the progress I have made, and about my increasing comfort with this language. I have just started the Level 5 certificate course, Poupou Huia te Reo - Te Hōkairangi. So far it seems like it is going to be very challenging, and therefore very stimulating and helpful in my drive to improve my Māori language. I am again feeling nervous about the time commitment, but I know that it will be worth it.