Principal's Comment

Kia ora Kevinians and supporters of the College

This week we have celebrated Māori language week within classes and at assembly. As principal, I have challenged staff and students to improve the pronunciation of our local place names. I now address my comments to our wider community:

I have been spurred on by a speech by Finnian Galbraith who is a year 11 student at Kāpiti College. His speech on YouTube that has gone viral. He challenges us to pronounce the Māori language correctly. For us in North Otago this is of particular interest as we typically butcher the pronunciation of the majority of our local placenames. From Oamaru to Waitaki we have our "local way" of saying the names. Clearly though, there is no local way. Further more, we would not accept this in any other context.

My call to parents and caregivers this weekend is to support those around you who are making an attempt to get the pronunciation correct. Rather than laughing at the unfamiliar pronunciation and making people feel uncomfortable about trying, let's complement people for having a go and show some interest in how to say the name correctly.

Most of our students do know the correct way to say the names but will not venture to use them unless they know it is safe to do so. The fear of chastisement or ridicule from parents and caregivers is a powerful block when it comes to change. What we should remember as locals is that we are the only ones mispronouncing the names. The rest of New Zealand gets our name correct, so I feel it timely for us to step up as well. Kia kaha (stand and be proud)

Ma Ihowa koe e manaaki, mana koe e tiaki (May the Lord bless you and keep you)
Paul Olsen, Tumuaki