School speakers to compete at Ruapehu

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 591, 20 June 1995, Page 7

School speakers to compete at Ruapehu

Secondary schools from throughout the Wanganui and Taranaki regions are being hosted by Ruapehu College on Friday 23 June for the annual speech competitions. Speeches are given in both English and Maori categories and each language section is divided into senior (Forms 5,6,7) and junior (Forms 3 & 4). There are separate venues for each section. The programme concludes in the afternoon with impromptu speeches for seniors, followed by prize giving in the Hall. Parents, friends and members of the community are very welcome to go along and enjoy the day, said a college spokesman. The organising committee has been working hard to secure qualified and competent judges for the day, as well as people to run each venue. Food will be available from the canteen and stalls at school, including a hangi (tickets will be pre-sold).

The college is asking for assistance with the costs of catering through donations of food (e.g. vegetables, meat, eggs, butter etc.). Messages can be left at the College office for Merrilyn George. Ruapehu College entrants in each of the categories are Rawhiti Ihaka — Junior Maori, Tomairangi Mareikura. Turi Carrol — Junior English Brendon Morgan, Pei Te Hurinui — Senior Maori Pikimai Mareikura, Korimako — Senior English Rebecca Clark. Some of the topics for the competition include: • Should tangata whenua be concerned at the tendency of the rangatahi (young people) to look at the urban American-Afri-can youth experience as a major cultural reference? • Is the vision of tangata whenua sovereignty attainable or just a pipe dream? • Is the ever-growing excellence of tangata whenua sports people in the national and international arena a

pathway to ethnic self-de-termination or to ethnic assimilation? • This is the year of Te Reo Maori. What do you think needs to be happening at all levels to generate growth in and to sustain our language? • The fiscal envelope is a symptom of wider issues. Where to now? • If misuse of drugs and alcohol is bad for your health, why do people continue to use them? The Government can inject money into a nation wide campaign, but what can we do in our school communities to prevent and eradicate this problem? • How has Christianity affected or changed the world of the Maori?