Te Auhia's te reo floods the room

LJANA SLIGO

MANU KORERO MAGIC: Tiani Ra Poi and Te Auhia Solomon

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Kaikoura

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A first-time contestant, Te Auhia Solomon, is the regional junior Maori Nga Manu Korero Champion after winning the Nga Manu Korero regional secondary school speech event on Friday.

"There wasn't a dry eye in the house," says Kaikoura High School teacher of te reo Maori Les Hoerara.

Te Auhia competed against four others in the junior Maori section of the Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Maui – top of the south – regional contest at Queen Charlotte College, Picton.

Whanau, friends and supporters in the audience performed a haka before the speech, as Te Auhia took the stage, much to the surprise of event organisers and Te Auhia.

"It was amazing, that kind of thing doesn't usually happen," recalls Mr Hoerara.

In his speech, titled Ko toku oranga, ko toku mahi hi ika – My substance comes from my ability to go fishing, Te Auhia talks about his profound love of fishing and he honours his tipuna and his whakapapa, acknowledging their contributions in the first section of his speech.

He speaks about his grandfather, Wiremu Te Haere Solomon, who inspired his love of fishing; makes reference to the BNZ and Whale Watch advertisement and acknowledges Takahanga Marae.

Te Auhia is the first contestant from Kaikoura High School to compete in the event in 27 years.

"I'm proud of winning and I loved it," said Te Auhia.

He performed his speech in front of an audience of whanau, supporters and teachers at Whale Watch last Wednesday.

"Everyone has supported me, I want to thank Matua Les, my whanau and supporters, Whale Watch and BNZ," he said.

Mr Hoerara said he saw the potential in Te Auhia two years ago and encouraged him to watch the 2009 Manu Korero competition.

Since then Te Auhia has been working hard to reach the standard required to perform the 12-minute speech in Maori and said he practiced every day.

Te Auhia says he has been inspired by his whanau and has talked to his Auntie Nyara Lufutu (nee Solomon) about winning a national competition when she was younger.

"I thought to myself, `that'd be cool'."

Now he has chance to become a national champion, one of only two South Island representatives to compete against 40 competitors at the National Nga Manu Korero event in Dunedin in September.

Te Auhia said he enjoyed learning the language and is still working on the basics but is aiming to be fluent soon.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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