By Pokere Paewai, Henare te Ua Maori Journalism Intern
Tamariki from the kura entertain the manuhiri. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai
The kura kaupapa movement was born out of a fear that te reo Māori would become extinct, a fear which drove whānau in Dannevirke to form their own kura with no resources and only a few students.
Thirty years later, the community have gathered to take stock and to celebrate their little kura, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tamaki-Nui-a-Rua.
More than 400 manuhiri, including former students and staff, were welcomed onto Makirikiri marae on the outskirts of Dannevirke, to celebrate the kura and the strides te reo has made in the town.
The waharoa at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tamaki-Nui-a-Rua. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai
It was started by a few impassioned whānau who, in 1992, pulled their kids out of mainstream school to jump aboard what was then the fledgling kura movement.
Today, the kura has its own campus across from Makirikiri, with 90 students.
Tumuaki, Te Waipounamu Teinakore, said it has been an "absolute blessing" to see the kaupapa come to fruition.
"The involvement that our past and ex-pupils have had, to see them in the same space, to see them back here, and to see how passionate and committed they are to a kaupapa that some of them have been away from for a few years now.
"It really never goes away, and that's the biggest sign of a kaupapa that's influenced a person."
Matua Nick Vella was there at the beginning, and still teaches at the kura today.
He reflected on the situation in 1992, when children would come out of kohanga reo with a good grasp of their language, but that would slip away within weeks of starting mainstream school.
The symbol of the kura. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai
"Their world was dominated by English, and that more or less killed their spirit for te reo Māori because it was no longer in their life," he said.
Vella said at the time there was a very real threat that te reo would die out in the community, so whānau knew something had to be done.
"Our response was to go round all the established kura and try and get something going, that was unsuccessful, after lots and lots of hui that was unsuccessful.
"So us as parents, there was four of us as parents, pulled our kids out of school and said well, if they're not going to do it we'll do it ourselves."
The preparations for the pōhiri. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai
Jordan Todd was one of the original 16 students, who has come full circle to return as a teacher at the kura.
He remembered the first days in a back room of Dannevirke's Carnegie Hall. They had no tables or chairs, only a mat, a blackboard and some chalk.
But, he said, even when they had nothing they still had something: Te reo Māori, and that was enough. He is determined to pass that on as a raukura.
"I've always said we have 13 years from your first day at kura to your last day at wharekura.
"Your last day at wharekura and the following day is your first day as a raukura, so we always try and aspire to be the best raukura that we can [be] for our tomorrow people," he said.
Todd said his hope for the future was that the children at the kura understand there is a value and a life in the language.
Te Waipounamu Teinakore said now is the time to be looking towards the future.
"Thirty years on it's about how do we stabilise, how do we continue the momentum forward, how do we build on the vision and how do we create the next vision for the 30 years so the people who are at the helm now maintain the essence [from] 30 years ago?
"But also take it into a space so it can live, breathe, and continue with the next people who are leading it."
One of the themes of the kōrero that emerged over the birthday celebrations was that 30 years ago, whānau constantly had to justify themselves to a community which didn't understand the concept of a kura.
Now, they say they no longer need to justify their kaupapa to anyone.