Making Te Reo Connections

Keri-Michele Rukuwai, of Ngā Kaitiaki o Ngāti Kauwhata (NKONK) is using skills learned at the Makerspace within Te Āhuru Mōwai to create 200 te reo Māori t-shirts for a community treasure hunt celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.

When she first approached the Makerspace, she had never used a vinyl cutter or heat press. With guidance from Makerspace Specialist Stew Wilson, Rukuwai learned the process, with support from other NKONK kaimahi (staff) along the way. Together, they have brought the project to life, producing 200 t-shirts featuring te reo Māori words.

From 14 to 17 September, treasure packs containing both an adult and child-sized T-shirt will be hidden throughout Feilding's CBD. Each pack includes lyrics and a YouTube link to a popular te reo Māori song that participants can practise ahead of singing together at Friday's celebration. The packs also contain information about the featured word, including its meaning, pronunciation and how it can be used in everyday conversation.

Twenty-five treasure packs will be placed out each morning. The celebration, hosted by NKONK for lucky T-shirt finders, will be held at Te Āhuru Mōwai on Friday, 18 September, at 11am.

"As part of NKONK, we wanted to create a fun way for people to engage with te reo Māori in their everyday lives," says Rukuwai. "The Makerspace gave me access to the equipment and support I needed to turn the idea into reality."

Wilson says the project demonstrates what can happen when people are given the opportunity to learn new skills and access specialised equipment. "Keri-Michele brought a creative idea to the Makerspace and embraced the challenge of learning something new."

The project encourages people to discover new kupu, practise their pronunciation, and celebrate te reo Māori. T-shirts were supplied by Freedom Plus, which also printed the Te Reo Town logo on the front of each garment. The back features a te reo Māori word, created using white vinyl kindly donated by MCHL in support of the event.

Manawatū Community Hub Libraries (MCHL) is celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, 14–20 September, with a week of cultural experiences and opportunities to connect with te reo Māori.

Take part in the celebrations by exploring Te Ara Kōrero (the pathway of stories) cultural trail, discover the Te Reo Towns installation, or registering for a free Kawkawa workshop. We are delighted to welcome Feilding High School (FAHS) and Lytton Street School to Te Āhuru Mōwai for two special free Kapa Haka performances, celebrating our local tamariki and rangatahi. FAHS will perform on Wednesday, 16 September at 1:00pm, followed by Lytton Street School on Friday, 18 September at 10:00am, at 64 Stafford Street, Feilding.

Nau mai, haere mai — all are warmly welcome to join us.

Find out more and view the full programme on our webpage:
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori | Manawatū Community Hub Libraries

To learn more about the Makerspace, visit:
Makerspace | Manawatū Community Hub Libraries

Keri-Michele Rukuwai, of Ngā Kaitiaki o Ngāti Kauwhata (NKONK), creates Te Reo Māori learning T-shirts in the Makerspace, using vinyl-cut words designed to help people build their confidence with the language.