Te reo winner thanks whanau

JASON OXENHAM

MAORI ELOQUENCE: Epsom Girls Grammar student Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne beat 15 other competitors in the Auckland region to take first place in the senior Maori section of the Nga Manu Korero speech contest.

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A prestigious speech contest has put Epsom Girls Grammar School in the spotlight for the first time, thanks to Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne.

The 17-year-old won the senior Maori section of the Auckland region Nga Manu Korero speech competition last month.

It is the first time the Epsom school, which has a roll of more than 2000, has won a category in the annual event.

The win qualifies Kimiora to compete for the Pei Te Hurinui Jones Trophy at the national finals in Dunedin this September.

"All my family want to come, even my 80-year-old grandmother but it's an expensive trip so I'm already feeling the pressure," she says. "But they're happy, the whole family is. They've been coming with me the whole way."

The year 13 student is no stranger to Nga Manu Korero, having won the junior national title in 2006 when she was attending St Joseph's Maori Girls College in Hawke's Bay.

"It's hard for a girl to win. It was a close competition, but my dad was a big help," she says.

"A lot of people who have won are well known. It opens doors."

Originally from Ruatoki, Kimiora, who is of Nga Puhi and Tuhoe descent, credits her parents for coaching her in te reo Maori.

For her 12-minute prepared speech she talked about being one with the environment and the relationships people have with the land, whether it be for identity or money.

This was followed by a three-minute impromptu presentation about what makes her sad.

"I talked about how sad it is that people think education is not important and how young people are leaving school early."

Epsom Girls Grammar head of Maori studies Renee Hau says Kimiora's win is the result of a "quietly confident individual who excels in Maori".

"She is not the typically vivacious teenager. You wouldn't think she would stand up in front of a crowd and speak," Ms Hau says.

"However when Kimiora does speak it contains substance. Her view of the world strongly incorporates and aligns with her culture."

Nga Manu Korero started in 1965 to encourage fluency in spoken English among Maori students.

Students from 28 secondary schools across Auckland competed in the two-day oratory challenge including Mt Albert Grammar, Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland Girls Grammar School and Western Springs' Nga Puna o Waiorea which came first in the junior Maori section.

- © Fairfax NZ News