A reflection by
Mairead Gallagher-Pile, teacher St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Pukekohe
Having
moved to New Zealand nearly ten years ago now from the Emerald Isle of Ireland,
I noticed many parallels between both Christian countries, which made me feel
quite at home.
I
took a teaching job in a Catholic primary school in Wellington and felt a real
affinity with the school's special character. I particularly enjoyed the waiata
for kapa haka and school masses. Interestingly, many of the waiata sung in kapa
haka were religious songs. This seemed to me quite fitting since I had learnt
that the first book translated to Te Reo was the Bible and the early missionary
settlers in Aotearoa really advocated for Māori.
I
also learnt about the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles of partnership and
active protection. I really feel that encompassing Te Reo in our Church and
school liturgies is honouring these principles. Coming from a country, Ireland,
which fought so hard for centuries to uphold its language and culture - Gaelic
- it makes absolute sense to me that acknowledgement of the language of the
land should be a key principle in our prayer and worship. St Patrick's Day mass
is celebrated in Gaelic in many parishes of Ireland each year.
When
planning school liturgies and masses here in NZ, I would always make sure to
incorporate at least one Māori waiata, greeting and prayer. If I didn't, I
would have felt the celebration was just a little less rich and I would have
regretted a missed opportunity.
I
also particularly enjoy the opportunity to do a complete Māori mass where
students practise all responses in Te Reo. It instils pride in them for this
beautiful Taonga given to them from their Tangata Whenua.
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