糖心Vlog

Mereana says her kaiako (teacher), Ngairo Eruera, encouraged from day one.

鈥淣gairo says, 鈥榶our classmates are your best resource鈥�, and it鈥檚 true. You will naturally build relationships with your classmates, so nurture those relationships, get into study groups, k艒rero together and share the journey.鈥�

Hailing from Ruat艒rea in the East Coast, Mereana was passionate to learn te reo M膩ori and reclaim her language. Mereana says it was a 鈥渘o-brainer鈥� to enrol in Te Tohu Paetahi while on maternity leave from her mahi at k艒hanga reo.

Starting out with a k艒hanga level of te reo M膩ori, Mereana could put some sentences together but couldn鈥檛 hold a conversation in te reo M膩ori before reverting to English. She doesn鈥檛 sugar-coat the intensity of the TTP workload. Her third child was only eight-months-old when Mereana started her studies so balancing family commitments was a constant juggle.

鈥淥ur wh膩nau are quite busily involved within our whare karakia and I am also one of the acting chairpersons of my son鈥檚 k艒hanga,鈥� says Mereana. 鈥淭here were a lot of late nights. When you鈥檙e a wife, a m膩m膩 and studying, you find that at night when kids are asleep, you just want downtime.鈥�

The juggle was worth it. Acquiring fluency has enhanced Mereana鈥檚 life in many ways.

鈥淭e Tohu Paetahi has been liberating for me mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It has been an awakening to my identity as a M膩ori and has solidified the foundations of my lived experiences."

"I have gained the ability to not only speak but to understand and comprehend in my native tongue. I have gained a much deeper insight to the ideologies and methodologies of a Te Ao M膩ori worldview. I have gained healing and restoration of my language."

In 2021, pregnant with her fourth child, Mereana cross-credited her diploma into a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Te Reo M膩ori and M膩ori and Indigenous Studies. If she hadn鈥檛 done TTP, she says she wouldn鈥檛 have pursued university study.

鈥淭TP has been a spring board for me into limitless potential and possibilities. From my Bachelor of Arts degree, I aspire to do a Graduate Diploma in Teaching to share my learnings and pass knowledge onto the next generation of tamariki.鈥�

Mereana enjoys catching up with fellow TTP graduates, including Catherine Graham who she sees regularly on campus. 鈥淥ur exchanges are always refreshing and uplifting,鈥� says Mereana. The pair established a lifelong friendship during their first year at the University and both women have continued onto further study with Te Pua W膩nanga ki te Ao 鈥� the Faculty of M膩ori & Indigenous Studies.

Mereana recommends Te Tohu Paetahi to 鈥渁nyone and everyone who is on their journey of reclaiming their language鈥�, and those wanting to learn in an immersive setting. 鈥淭奴whitia te hopo, mairangatia te angit奴 - feel the fear and do it anyway.鈥�

What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps to take this Te Tohu Paetahi journey?

KARAWHIUA!!!!! Go for it!!!! Do it!!!!!
You will not find any course like when it comes to learning Te Reo M膩ori. For those here in Tauranga, you are very blessed to be taught, in my opinion, by the best. Ngairo has a way of teaching that is so easy and quick to learn from. He does not beat around the bush and is very straight forward and straight up but is so very humble. He is a wealth of knowledge. Ahenata-May Daniels is an amazing kai膩hwina support person and just has such a heart for your wairua.