He mihi
Tēnā koutou e ngā iwi, e ngā hapū, e ngā whānau kei roto i ngā kura auraki. Ki a koutou hoki kei runga i ngā poari, ki ngā tumuaki, me ngā kaiako, nā koutou nei te mahi taumaha, tēnā koutou. He mihi nui, he mihi aroha tēnei ki a koutou katoa e tiaki nei i ā tātou tamariki, koutou katoa e hāpai nei i tēnei taonga whakahirahira, arā, te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori.
Toi te kupu
Toi te mana
Toi te whenua1
Ko te reo rangatira e kōiri atu nei.
A greeting
Greetings to you all (iwi, hapū, and whānau) who are involved in mainstream schools. Greetings to the board members, principals, and teachers who carry a great responsibility. Very warm wishes go out to you all as you protect our children and uplift our precious possession, te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.
Language is permanent
Prestige is permanent
Land is permanent
The resonating sound of the prestigious Māori language.
Kia hora te marino
Kia whakapapa pounamu te moana
Kia tere te kārohirohi
I mua i tō huarahi.2
May peace be widespread
May the sea glisten like greenstone
May the shimmer of light guide you on your way.
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“Toi te kupu, toi te mana, toi te whenua.” Proverb cited in Mead and Grove (2001), page 405. ^
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Mead and Grove (2001), page 210. This saying is attributed to Tāwhiao in Te Korimako, 14 Āperira, 1884: “Ka hamumu ake a Tāwhiao. Ko te pēpeha tēnei, ‘Ka whakapapapounamu te moana, ka tere te kārohirohi.’” ^