Opinions / La Presidenta
recent Opinions/La Presidenta
by Harriet Geoghegan | 2:45 am, 20/09/2010
Dear [insert MP here],
by Harriet Geoghegan | 2:04 am, 09/08/2010
I had a bit of writer’s block this week so opened up the floor for suggestions. I got a few and couldn’t decide so here’s a bit of all of them:
by Harriet Geoghegan | 1:20 am, 26/07/2010
Tena koutou katoa, Nei ra te timatanga o te wiki whakahirahira to t_tou reo rangatira, Te Reo Maori. Anei nga wero
by Harriet Geoghegan | 3:20 am, 20/07/2010
So here it is: the week that will show whether or not OUSA is an organisation beyond repair or too resilient to change, and the week that will define my success in this role. This week we are asking students to vote in two referenda: one to reduce the size of the Executive and one to reform the Student General Meeting process.
by Harriet Geoghegan | 12:09 am, 12/07/2010
This week's column comes to you from the middle of the holidays (not because I have a time machine, but because that's when my deadline is) and while you have all been away there's been heaps going on at OUSA.
La Presidenta - 17
by Harriet Geoghegan | 1:20 am 26/07/2010
Tena koutou katoa, Nei ra te timatanga o te wiki whakahirahira to t_tou reo rangatira, Te Reo Maori. Anei nga wero
Kia ora koutou,
Ko Ariana Te Wake toku ingoa, ko au te mangai mo nga Tauira Maori o nga Akonga o Te Whare Wananga o Otago.
Greetings to you all,
My name is Ariana Te Wake and I am the Maori Students Representative on OUSA. This week I have been given free reign with Harriet’s Column as it is Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori (= Maori Language Week). I thought that I would start by helping those that do not understand Te Reo, by firstly helping you to understand what Fallyn Flavell, Tumuaki (= President) of Te Roopu M?ori has written in the next column.
Fallyn has laid down a wero (= challenge) to you all to try and understand the korero (= conversation) she has written. I will help those that wish to take up this challenge by offering some key translations of words that will help. (Note these are loosely translated for your benefit).
mohio – understand
matatau – to know well
imera – email
karere a-waea – phone message/text message
korero a-pukapuka-kanohi - to read
era momo – other types of communication
ora - well
waenganui – get amongst
kaore – no/negates a sentence
ako – to learn/teach
parakitihi – practice
tarai – to try or attempt
whakapakari – to strengthen
mohiotanga – knowledge
koe – you (1 person)
korua – you (2 people)
koutou – you all (more than 3)
matou – we (excluding the listener)
tatou – we (including the listener)
Hopefully I have given you enough translations for you to have a go at trying to understand the korero in the next column.
I am also going to lay down a wero to you all, our reception staff at OUSA, for all of next week will greet you all in Maori and ask “kei te pehea koe?” (how are you?), there will be a sign at the reception desk with ways of answering the question in te reo Maori, such as;
“kei te (insert word from below list) ahau.” “I am (word used from list).”
pai – good
mauiui – sick
ngenge – tired
ora – well
hiakai – hungry
hiainu – thirsty
pera tonu – just the same
I encourage you all to give it a go if you come into the OUSA office, and if not just to try and use some of these phrases or words in your everyday conversations with o hoa (= your friends).
The national theme for Maori Language Week this year is ‘Te Mahi Kai’ which means the Language of Food. To tautoko (= support) this, traditional Maori Kai, Hangi, is going to be served from an outlet in the Union for the week. But be in quick because there are a limited number of Hangi sold each day and trust me you don’t want to miss out!
Ariana Te Wake, Maori Rep
