Ake Ake Ake, the Forever Language
This week, Dilworth joins the rest of Aotearoa in celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), under the theme Ake Ake Ake — A Forever Language.
We spoke with Matua Vinny Hohepa, Head of Learning Area for Languages and Te Reo Māori & Tikanga Māori, about what the week means to him and what is happening across the school.
For Matua Vinny, Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori provides a vital springboard to weave te reo into daily life year-round. He sees it as an entry point for everyone to start: "The hope is that it carries into the next week, the next week, and throughout the entire year."
He notes how far the revitalisation of the Te Reo language movement has come: "It’s evolved from a single day at its inception, to a week, and now to Mahuru Māori, which spans the whole of September." However, his ultimate vision is seeing te reo spoken 365 days a year—where everyone, regardless of their competency, feels comfortable giving it a go.
Starting Small
How can our community support Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori and keep the momentum going year-round?
"I always tell people to start small," says Matua Vinny. "I began my own journey simply by swapping 'hello' for 'kia ora'. It's a simple change, but it makes a significant difference. Make that one conscious tweak—that's how you can truly support our Māori students and community”
He emphasises that, for him, te reo belongs to all of Aotearoa New Zealand:
"For our language to thrive, it has to belong to the whole of Aotearoa."
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori: Week Highlights & Celebrations at Dilworth
The Traditional Hāngī: Serving 600 meals, the hāngī is the ultimate expression of manaakitanga (care and hospitality).
"It's the pinnacle because it's such a traditional, hands-on experience—from collecting the wood and digging the pit, to carefully placing the food baskets and sharing the meal with students who may never have experienced it before. It shows them: this is how we care for people." Says Matua Vinny.
Pre-Dawn Preparations: Preparation begins on Rātū (Tuesday) afternoon with pit digging and basket assembly. At 3:00 AM on Rāapa (Wednesday), following an opening karakia, a fire of slow-burning kānuka wood is lit to generate lasting, intense heat.
Storytelling Around the Ahi: Guided by Tāmaki Makaurau hāngī expert Richard Nahi (Ngāti Whātua), interested senior students will get the chance to gather around the fire to learn history and traditions.
"There's something primal about sitting around a fire. It's an opportune moment to absorb knowledge, learn, and simply be present."
Sharing Kai: Midday Rāapa – junior and senior students join together with staff.
Te o Ōhinerau: Our JC performers will perform at the Town Hall to support Te Kahu Topuni o Ngāti Whātua on Rāpare (Thursday).
Conversational Dining: All week, our dining hall will feature custom place cards and sentence starters to encourage everyday reo during kai.
Committed Leadership
Matua Vinny’s deep commitment to Te Reo stems directly from his experience and background. Raised in South Auckland as one of nine tamariki, he says he grew up around whānau and the family marae. However, during a significant gathering, when his whānau was called upon to speak at a pōwhiri, no one felt able to respond. He says the "deafening silence" stayed with him.
But that moment sparked a life-changing decision. He left his media career at the New Zealand Herald to study te reo full-time at Te Wānanga o Takiura. While friends and family initially questioned the move – leaving his stable job and income – it triggered a wider family revival of te reo. His older brother went on to become a Kōhanga Reo teacher, and his sister began learning their language alongside her children.
Today, while he loves classroom teaching above all else, stepping into leadership at Dilworth gives Matua Vinny a platform to break down barriers and normalise the language throughout the school.
"It’s about recognising the challenges people face and giving them the space to practice through them," he reflects.
The reward comes in everyday moments—like a Year 7 Tongan student who recently spoke te reo at a family gathering, leading his father to express immense pride during parent-teacher interviews. Moments like these prove the impact of small, intentional choices, he says.
This week, to celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori at Dilworth, start with a single word or phrase, create your own journey, and help create lasting waves across our community.