Dear Heeni

How can I practice when I’m at the beginner stage? E hoa, start small but start everywhere. Whatever you see in arm’s reach, learn the kupu for it – Māori dictionary is your new best friend. My biggest tip? Start with transliterations and slang! It’s fun, low-stress, and develops your sound. Here’s a starter: fridge is pōaka makariri (“cold box”), pretty literal, nē? If that’s too...

Debatable: Should all first-years have to take a reo Māori paper?

Against Freedom: that's what I love about the university experience.  Ah, public school. Thirteen years of "do this," "study that," "these are your classes," and "you must wear this [basic-as] uniform". Being forced to wear a tie made me hate ties; being forced to take MAOR papers would make many resentful. Being in uni, you wanna stick it to the man, man. People bitch enough about compulsory...

Da Smoothie Bar

East Coast Sunrise A crisp citrusy pour in bright orange-yellow tones, kissed with a hint of kiwi, served over ice with a salted rim. Orange to taste the sunrise, pineapple to taste the warmth, kiwi to taste freshness – and that salted rim to taste the beach.  120 ml orange juice 120 ml pineapple juice 30 ml kiwi juice (or ½ fresh kiwi, muddled) 30 ml grenadine  45 ml vodka 120 g ice Coarse salt, for...

Editorial: Passion 4 Protest

During my studies, I've picked up on a throughline that isn’t always named outright: the role of wāhine Māori in the resurgence and survival of te reo Māori. From the emergence of Te Kōhanga Reo and the frontline of activism, to the dining rooms where karakia were whispered back into use – it was wāhine who did the work, held the line, and carried the language when others dropped it. Sounds about right, it...

Horoscopes: Issue 22 2025

Pisces Burnout is imminent. Try stop it before it happens otherwise the rest of your year is probably wharked. Try getting a good sleep schedule, or a good energy drink regimen to help bring a bit more energy into your life. Tō Wero Reo Māori: Swap “leshgo” for “rehekō” Libra Indecision is holding you back. Either take the leap or get off of the cliff and let someone else jump. Waiting at the edge only...

OUSA Exec: Revitalising te Reo Māori

E hika mā, kua eke te reo! He aha te mea nui o tēnei wiki? He reo Māori, he reo Māori, he reo Māori! This week marks the 50th celebrations of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. The acts of our kaumātua and the voices of our tauira Māori at university in  the early 70s set a major path for the revitalisation of our tāonga, our reo, our language.  I started my reo journey at university and for me...

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