Te reo – the language of ārahitanga
F or Jack Mckenzie, te reo is so much more than learning a language – it is all about reconnecting with his identity and finding his true voice. Jack believes that
at Christ’s College studying for NCEA Level 3 Māori. However, many more boys are following his haerenga (journey) in actively learning and understanding te reo, with the numbers building in the younger year groups. “So many boys are really getting into learning te reo while our College kapa haka group has swelled from 20 when I started in Year 9 to 70 in my final year at school,” Jack points out. “Equally, Māori culture is very much a focal point for many College events and activities today, as seen with the
gifting of a new waiata this year at assembly.” Jack, the 1st XV halfback, leads the team haka while also finding time to catch some waves and represent Canterbury in surfing. He also steps up for the College House Plays. It has been a deeply personal haerenga for Jack, arriving with “very little Māori knowledge in general” in 2019 and taking that first step into Corfe House. A member of Ngai Tahu iwi and Ngai Tūāhuriri hapū, Jack recalls that “there was not much Māori
language is intrinsic to his identity, strengthening his whanaungatanga (sense of
connection). It is a vital strand woven into his commitment to embracing tikanga (customs and traditional values) and taking on ārahitanga (leadership) roles. In Year 13, the Head of Biculturalism is the only student
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