Maori Language Week celebrated
5 August 2015
Taupo's town centre was buzzing with activity for Maori Language Week - Te Wiki o te Reo Maori - with kapa haka, traditional Maori fare and plenty of te Reo.
The Caf Wero - Caf Challenge - was to encourage cafes to embrace te Reo and get the community excited about using the language.
Salut Delicatessen won the supreme award for the combination of its amazing rewana bread, kawakawa and passionfruit sweet treats, and providing kapa haka as lunch time entertainment. Salut also won the best signature dish award for its rewana bread.
Other winners included Replete Caf and Delicatessen for best customer greeting, Friends caf for best te Reo-themed blackboard and McCafe Taupō for their enthusiastic participation.
Strategic relationships manager Dominic Bowden said the independent judges said it was a close race, but Salut edged its way to the top with its impressive traditional Māori fare with a unique twist.
Salut really went the extra mile - it was evident they were committed to promoting te Reo during the week, and they did a fantastic job, he said.
Owner of Salut Joan McBeath was honoured to receive the top prize and attributed the success to her staff.
It's all up to the staff - they did the most amazing job and full credit goes to Jo and the team, she said. I feel really honoured and pleased we entered and got behind the whole spirit of te Reo week. My staff really got behind it and it's just so cool to see them rewarded. She said it was a fantastic community initiative and a great way to bring te Reo into local businesses for the week.
Back at the council, one of the initiatives to help support Te Wiki o te Maori was the hosting of local carver Tautahanga Rameka. Visitors to the Lake Terrace office over the week would have seen and chatted with Mr Rameka as he created a whakairo (wood carving) in the reception area.
The carving, now finished, is called Manaia. It is a guardian which represents leadership, good decision making and moving forward.
It also represents our lake, the many rivers that flow into it and the mountains where the rivers originate from. It is to inspire and remind us that all of our work combined contributes to the big ideas and decisions that are made for this community.
It will be displayed with pride in the reception of the Lake Terrace office.