Huanui College Year 11 student Takaimaania Ngata-Henare (on right-hand side of photograph) has won the prestigious Senior Māori Tā Himi Henare Memorial Trophy at this year’s Te Manu Korero Competitions held in Panguru.
Takaimaania’s success was celebrated with a whole-school powhiri, the significance and purpose of which was twofold. Firstly, to welcome Takaimaania, her whānau, dignitaries and the trophy into the school and, secondly, as it is also customary to bless such a taonga and bring its Mauri (life spirit) to rest peacefully in the school.
Well done Takaimaania, Huanui College is immensely proud of your achievement.
The Senior Māori Tā Himi Henare Memorial Trophy commemorates the late Sir James Clendon Tau Henare, revered Kaumatua of Te Tai Tokerau. Sir James Henare was an outstanding orator in both Māori and English. He was a respected National Leader who promoted the Māori language throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand. The objectives of this trophy are to give greater impetus and status to both the Māori and English languages and for both languages to enhance each other.
This is one of the most prestigious awards in Tai Tokerau (Northland) and has been held by some of New Zealand’s best orators in the Te Reo Māori arena, and now, it has been welcomed into the Huanui whānau.