Community Based Language Initiative was a project managed by Thelma Karaitiana for Te Runanga O Turanganui A Kiwa. The project was completed around 2005. There were many valuable insights, research, partnership and relationships gained while we worked on this Ministry of Education Project. The project was established to acknowledge the fact that language acquisition begins in the home. Research was undertaken to see what our language needs were, the status of our language and some future proofing of the language.

 

One of the projects of this initiative was the production of some uniquely Turanganui a Kiwa language resources. Thelma alongside our kaumatua, with research she had undertaken and with a graphic designer created three posters. There is a poster of parts of the body, parts of the head and parts of a bird. They are large colourful, engaging and vibrant. The language is specifically Turanganui a Kiwa dialect.

 

Interest surrounding these posters was aroused at Gisborne Hospital when some posters were displayed during Maori Language week. Requests for the posters started to come from not only the general wards but Accident and Emergency, Physio, and Radiology. The Runanga were happy to meet these requests and presented the posters to …. Of the A and E Department. The posters relate entirely to the hospital staff and their work and many of our people will be delighted to see their resources displayed and in use.