Wananga driving interest in bird sanctuary

A Kapiti Island based tourism operator says Maori tertiary institutions are
behind increased interest among Maori in birdlife on offshore islands.

John Barrett who heads the New Zealand Maori Tourism Council says
uncontrolled forest growth has seen an increase in the numbers of tieke
the
saddlebacks, kakariki and kokako numbers on Kapiti.

"What we're seeing now more and more is the students are starting to take
notice and take advantage and come to respect the taonga they have. it's a
slow process but I've noticed in the past five years particularly from
those young students to realise they've got something pretty special," Mr
Barrett says.

He says as long as islands such as Kapiti and Tiritiri Matangi Island in
the Hauraki Gulf remain predator free, birds under threat on the mainland
do well on offshore islands.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ADDS MAORI TO CATALOGUING SYSTEM

The Maori head of the National Library of New Zealand says Matauranga Maori
will be recognised on an international stage.

Maori placenames have been added to the U.S. Library of Congress in
Washington DC and will be available in bibliographic records available on
the National Bibliographic Database for worldwide use.

Kaiwhakahaere Maori John Mohi says the names including Aoraki formerly
known as Mount Cook and Rakiura for the Stewart Island have been
recognised by the National Geographical Board.

Mr Mohi says accessing matauranga Maori you need to use Te Reo Maori.

"It's fundamental and it's a first step to address matauranga Maori and to
address the place of taonga. This use of te reo Maori in these place names
is really a key first step in saying to access where matauranga sits you
have to be using te reo Maori," Mr Mohi says.

He says the National Library will continue to work with the Library and
Information Association and Te Roopu Whakahau to include future Maori
place names.

MP CHALLENGES KING TO QUIT SMOKING

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira says he willing to help the Maori King
Tuheitia kick his smoking habit.

Mr Harawira attended a Poukai at Waahi Pa this week in his whaikorero he
mentioned the leader of the Kingitanga Movement's habit.

"He laughed.I did it in an open forum. People laughed. I didn't say it in
a condemning way. I just think he could be a huge role model for young
Maori in terms of kicking that habit, and If there is any way I can help
him do it, happy to do so," Mr Harawira says.

Tainui leader and smokefree advocate Tukoroirangi Morgan supports Hone
Harawira's comments and says regardless of status smoking is a huge
problem among Maori.

TE ARO PA SITE UNVEILED

A 180 year old Pa site in downtown Wellington City to be unveiled tomorrow
(Saturday) will give visitors a sense of how Maori lived in the area.

Discovered under a multi-million dollar development in 2005, Te Aro Kainga
was built by Ngati Mutunga of Taranaki in 1824.

Later split into two sites it was occupied by Ngati Ruanui, Ngati Haumia
and Ngati Tupaia.

Associate Minister of Culture and Heritage Mahara Okeroa says Te Aro Pa
Heritage site raises many questions of intrest.

"What we have here is a piece of a picture of a major pa site and what's
been preserved, the foundations of maybe two whare and if tat's what's
been uncovered in that corner the question is how much has been destroyed
in the past and how much is just sitting under the ground and I suppose it
gives people a glimpse what was there," Mr Okeroa says.

After the 1844 Crown purchase, an earthquake in 1955 drained low lying
areas in Te Aro diminishing a crucial food source and economic trade.

HARAWIRA CALLS FOR VOTE SPLIT IN HAURAKI-WAIKATO

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira is calling for Hauraki Waikato voters to split
their vote to get two Maori MP's into parliament.

Mr Harawira says voters should elect Maori Party Candidate Angeline
Greensil in as the Hauraki Waikato MP, while Nanaia Mahuta sits at number
10 on the Labour Party list.

The Tai Tokerau MP says it's about making the best decision the electorate.

"I have a lot of respect for Nanaia as a member of Parliament and I have
great respect for Angeline's ability, her knowledge, her strength and her
commitment, and I was just saying it would be nice if Hauraki-Waikato
could see their way to voting in such a way to enable both of them to get
in," Mr Harawira says.

The call goes against Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia's who
has appealled to Maori to give both votes to the party.

WANANGA METHODS COULD HELP IN MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS ROBUST ADVICE

A Maori academic says methods of traditional Wananga should be included in
maintream tertiary education models.

James Henare Research Center director Te Tuhi Robust says numbers of Maori
entering into tertiary education are now growing at a strong rate.

However he says despite universities and polytechnics repositioning
themselves to capture Maori this hasn't happened.

Dr Robust says Maori knowledge in the form of Wananga has a lot to offer
maintream.

"Tohunga were benchmarked. they used to go to other wananga with other
tohunga to discuss and put their work of their skills up for scrutiny by
others, like reviewing and evaluating, benchmarking and peer reviewing.
There's a wish for recognition of things Maori within the field of
academia," Dr Robust says.

The James Henare Research Centre has been recognised as an affiliate group
of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.