Ngā Manu Kōrero

Ngā Manu Kōrero is a prestigious bilingual speech competition for secondary school students.

From the PPTA Te Wehengarua website:

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"Ngā Manu Kōrero is regarded as the most significant event on the Māori education calendar for nurturing the oratory skills and providing the stage for young people to express their views and to lay down their challenges to an admiring and critical audience of peers, parents, whānau and judges.

The speech contests are intended to encourage the development of skills and confidence of Māori students in spoken English and te reo Māori. All secondary schools are invited to participate in this wonderful event, noting that the Māori section is open to all students as part of a strategy to support everyone to learn and to speak in te reo Māori."​​​​​​​

"My tipuna speak not a word of Māori, for they were beaten for speaking our native tongue - in a place where they should have felt nurtured and safe."


"...although I come to you today, not fluent in my language, not perfectly connected to my hauora, and far from a flawless Māori, I stand before you proud of my culture and I'm determined to not let it die."

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- ​​​​​​​Bowen Steffert, winner 2024 Regional Ngā Manu Kōrero competition

2025 Regional Competition Recap

Hawke's Bay Regional Ngā Manu Kōrero Competition

Friday, 13 June 2025, Napier War Memorial Centre

Pōwhiri and returning the winners' taonga

Our four Hastings Boys' representatives were:


Te Umurangi Hinga Renata-Waikari, Junior Māori 

Kingston Ropitini Reid, Senior Māori

Whaimotu Te Ranginui Adam Smith, Junior English

Phaizon Jahkobi Artorius Parkes, Senior English


Each speaker gave a prepared, memorised speech, then the seniors participated in the Impromptu speech round.

Photo Galleries

​​​​​​​Te Umurangi Hinga Renata-Waikari

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Kingston Ropitini Reid

​​​​​​​Whaimotu Te Ranginui Adam Smith

"And although it is not easy to turn your talent and flame into genius and fire, it doesn't mean you should give up on it.

...And not be dismayed when times are hard.

...growing a flame of talent into a raging fire of success, requires a lot of hard work. We need to persevere.

Challenges that are hard and difficult are what make us grow and be better."

​​​​​​​Phaizon Jahkobi Artorius Parkes

"I am a Māori boy from Flaxmere who wants to make a difference, but I can not do it alone.

Now is the time. Where we all need to speak up for what is right. But how do we do this?

Promote youth voice - Because rangatahi will pave our future.

Youth need to speak up and call our law makers out.

Because we are the future and their choices affect us."