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  • Published: 28 August 2017
  • ISBN: 9780143771470
  • Imprint: Raupo
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $38.00

Maori at Home

An Everyday Guide to Learning the Maori Language

Extract

HE NGOHE-Ā-WHĀNAU

WHĀNAU ACTIVITIES TO MAKE ‘BEFORE SCHOOL’ A MĀORI LANGUAGE DOMAIN

 

 

NGOHE-Ā-WHĀNAU TUATAHI

FAMILY ACTIVITY 1

 

On the way to school in the car is an opportune moment to use

te reo Māori with the kids because they can’t go anywhere! You

have a captive audience! Having fun while learning, especially

with kids, always works best. So try downloading this song

from the following address: soundcloud.com/heireowhanau.

The lyrics to the song are below. It has been specially written

to reinforce key phrases that are used regularly each morning.

Play the song in the car, get the kids to sing along, but most

importantly, use the lines in the song during your conversations

to the children. You will find that it won’t take long for those lines

and phrases to become a normal part of your family’s morning

routines.

 

Mōrena, mōrena!

Kei te pēhea koe?                                                       How are you?

Kei te whiti, kei te whiti mai                                    Shining, the sun is shining

te rā

Me maranga me te horoi                                          You should get up and wash

kanohi                                                                          your face

Me te waku niho, me te here                                  And brush your teeth, and tie

makawe                                                                       your hair

Kei te whiti, kei te whiti mai                                     Shining, the sun is shining

te rā

Me mau kākahu koe                                                  You should put clothes on

Me mau hū rawe koe                                                You should put on some cool

Shoes

Kua rite mō te puta, kua rite                                    All ready to head out, ready

mō te rā!                                                                      for the day!

 

 

NGOHE-Ā-WHĀNAU TUARUA

FAMILY ACTIVITY 2

Activities to encourage language development at breakfast time.

Whānautanga ki te 2 ngā tau (from birth to 2 years old)

Identify colours in the room, colours of objects, or colours of

food.

He aha te tae o tēnei kai?                          What is the colour of this

food?

He aha te tae o tēnei                                   What is the colour of this

taputapu?                                                      object?

He aha te tae o tēnei pātū?                       What is the colour of this

wall?

He aha te tae o tēnei tūru?                        What is the colour of this

chair?

Kōwhai                                                           Yellow

Whero                                                            Red

Waiporoporo                                                Purple

Māwhero                                                       Pink

Mā                                                                  White

Kākāriki                                                          Green

Pango                                                             Black

 

Upsize the reo you use with pēpi from one word to three or four.

 

Kei hea a Māmā? Anei a Māmā. E aroha ana a Māmā ki a koe!

Where is Mummy? Here is Mummy. Mummy loves you very

much!

Kei hea a pēpi Maiana? Anā a pēpi Maiana. Kei te kai a pēpi

Maiana.

Where is baby Maiana? There is baby Maiana. Baby Maiana is

eating.

 

E 2 ngā tau–4 ngā tau (2–4 years old)

Place familiar objects in a container and get kids to pull them

out, one at a time, and tell you what it is and what they use it for.

 

Ko taku pōro tēnei. Ka tākaro au ki tēnei pōro. He pōro pai.

This is my ball. I play with it. It’s a cool ball.

 

Ko taku Tāne-pekapeka tēnei. Ka patu ia i ngā nanakia.

This is my Batman. He defeats villains.

 

Identify body parts then ask the kids what they are used for.

He aha tēnei? (Ka tohu koe                        What is this? (Pointing to

ki tō ihu)                                                        your nose)

He ihu.                                                           A nose.

Hei aha te ihu/Mō te aha te                       What is your nose for?

ihu?

Hei hongi putiputi/Mō te                           For smelling flowers.

hongi putiputi.

He aha tēnei? (Ka tohu koe                        What is this? (Pointing to

ki tō waewae)                                               your leg)

He waewae.                                                  A leg.

Hei aha te waewae/Mō te                          What is your leg for?

aha te waewae?

Hei oma/Mō te oma.                                   For running.

 

 

E 4 ngā tau–6 ngā tau (4–6 years old)

Begin to talk about spatial relationships. Individual words can

be used here then start to upsize like we did previously when

they were babies. Hand actions are a great way to explain these

words and ingrain them into the developing vocabulary list of

our kids.

 

Tuatahi                               First

Tuarua                               Second

Whakamutunga                 Last

Waenganui                       Middle

Mua                                   Front

Muri                                   Back

Mauī                                  Left

Matau/Katau                     Right

Runga                                Above

Raro                                   Below

Roto                                   Inside

Waho                                 Outside

Kā                                       On

Weto                                 Off

Rere                                   Running (tap, etc.)

Kati                                    Off (tap)

 

Kei runga ā koutou tina i te tūpapa.

Your lunches are on the bench.

 

Kei raro i te tūru katau o te waka tō pikau.

Your (school) bag is in the car, under the right-hand-side seat.

 

Kei waho ngā tamariki e tatari ana.

The kids are waiting outside.

 

Kei roto tonu koe i te wharepaku?

Are you still in the toilet?

 

Whakawetoa te pouaka whakaata, kei muri mātou it e whare

e piki ana i te waka.

Turn off the TV, we (us, but not you) are behind the house (out

the back) getting into the car.

 

Encourage the children to name everything they use during

morning time and while eating breakfast. They can eventually

graduate to self-narration, which is a great learning tool for you

too if you are a beginner with te reo yourself.

 

Kei te tiki au i te miraka                   I am getting the milk

Kei te tiki au i ngā puarere             I am getting the rice bubbles

Kei te riringi au i te miraka            I am pouring the milk into my

ki taku oko puarere                       bowl of rice bubbles

Mmmmm, he reka!                         Mmmmm, yummy!

Kua pau taku kai                            I have finished my food

Kei te tuku i aku utauta kai            I am putting my dishes in the

ki te puoto                                      sink

Kei te haere au ki te waku           I am going to brush my teeth

niho


Maori at Home Scotty Morrison, Stacey Morrison

The accessible and fun guide for everyday Kiwis looking to learn and speak the Maori language around the home.

Buy now
Buy now

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