Kotahi Mano Kāika Te Reo Awards

He pī ka rere, he manawa hou, he manawa
popore hei tauira mō a tātou katoa
Nō te ahuru mōwai o Awarua tēnei tētē,
tēnei pōioio i ahu mai
Tītī a kai, tītī a manawa, koia rā
ko Thomas Aerepo-Morgan

‘Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori’ – the language is the life force of the mana Māori.
Tā Hēmi Henare

Ngāi Tahu language leaders have been recognised at the Kotahi Mano Kāika Te Reo Awards, held in Dunedin on the eve of Hui-ā-Iwi. The awards celebrate and promote a sense of pride in the revival of te reo Māori in the Kāi Tahu takiwā.

Winners on the night included Tā Tipene O’Regan, who was named Aoraki Matatū winner for his lifetime commitment to te reo Māori; Kukupa Tirikātene, who was named Te Puna o te Kī winner as the Kāi Tahu kaumātua reo champion; and Thomas Aerepo-Morgan, who was named Mātātahi Matatū winner, or the Kāi Tahu rakatahi reo warrior. The award is aimed at those aged 18–25 years old.

Other winners were Dr Mere Skerrett, who won the Te Pā Harakeke Award of commitment to Kāi Tahu whānau and leadership in te reo Māori; Ani Haua, who won Te Taniwha Hikuroa for her contributions to te reo Māori in the Kāi Tahu takiwā; Tiahuia Kawe-Small, who won Te Tautōhito as te reo teacher of the year; Hōhepa Waitoa, who won the Ruahine Crofts award for excellence in composition; Tomairangi Harvey, who won Te Mana o Te Reo for raising awareness of te reo Māori; and the Papatipu Marae reo champions.

Kotahi Mano Kāika, Kotahi Mano Wawata literally means “One Thousand Homes, One Thousand Aspirations.”