Te Kōhanga Reo: Te māngai hou mō Mātaatua Tauranga Moana

E ngā whānau, e ngā kaimahi e morimori nei i ā tātou mokopuna tēnā rāwa atu koutou.

Kei te hīkaka te Poari Matua o Te Kōhanga Reo ki te tuku atu i tēnei pānui hei whakaū, hei whakamana anō i te whakatau kia noho a Lorraine Pirihira Hale (Lolo) hei māngai mō Mātaatua, Tauranga Moana ki te Poari o Te Kōhanga Reo.

E whakakī ana ia i te tūranga kua wātea i te ngarohanga o tō tātou Whāea, a Te Wheoro Rangikotua. E tangi tonu ana te ngākau ki a ia, otirā, ki te tini kua ngaro nei i ngā wiki me ngā marama tata nei.

Nā ngā iwi o ngā Kōhanga Reo o Mātaatua, Tauranga Moana a Lolo te whakatau kia noho ko ia hei kanohi mō te rohe, ā i te Rāhina kua taha ake nei i whakatauria ia ki te whare o Ngā Mokopuna ki te tari matua ki Pōneke.

Hei tā Raniera Procter, Heamana Takirua o Te Poari “Kua roa a Lolo e noho ana ki ngā paripari, ki te whakamātautau i ngā kaupapa here, me te anga whakamua o te kaupapa. Kua whai wāhi atu ia ki te mura o te ahi, ki te whakamātautau ki te waihanga i tētahi āpōpō mō te kaupapa”.

E mārama pai ana a Lolo ki te nui o te haepapa kei runga i a ia, ā, e manako nui ana ia ki te kawe mai i ngā kaupapa ake o tana Kōhanga Reo, o tana purapura, o tana iwi me tana rohe hei tirohanga mō te poari, e tau ai pea te māramatanga ā haere ake nei, hei oranga mō ngā tamariki mokopuna o te motu.

E mihi ana a Lolo ki tana iwi, ki tana rohe o Mātaatua Tauranga Moana, ngā tāngata o waho atu i te rohe i piri atu ki tana tira haere me te whānau whānui i takahi i te mata o te whenua kia tae atu rā ki Pōneke.

The Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board is excited to announce the appointment of Lorraine Pirihira Hale (Lolo) as the representative for the Mātaatua Tauranga Moana region.

She will occupy the position that was left vacant by the unexpected passing of Te Wheoro Rangikotua. A loss that is still being felt today as we grieve all of those who have passed in the recent weeks and months.

National Trust Co-Chair Daniel Procter says “Lolo has been a keen observer and commentator of the policies and the strategic future of Kōhanga Reo. She now sits in the hot seat and will be able to give rigor and voice to the future of the Kaupapa”.

Lolo is aware of the burden and responsibility that rests on her shoulders, and she is hopeful that she will be able to infuse the philosophies and beliefs of her Kōhanga Reo, and the collective aspirations of her people and region to the Board for discussion, and to bring better and positive outcomes for all our mokopuna across the country.

Lolo wishes to thank her region of Mātaatua Tauranga Moana and the people who came, those from outside the region and those who joined the trek across country to Wellington.