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SEPTEMBER 25, 2025
Let’s say it correctly
By Chris Gardner
Pera MacDonald wishes people would learn how to pronounce Ōtorohanga correctly. And as one of Te Nehenehenui’s renowned kaikaranga and kaiwaiata, she is willing to teach them. “My passion has always been my reo and I like to share it with anybody who is interested,” MacDonald told those attending Elevate Ōtorohanga’s electoral candidate meeting during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2025. She asked candidates to take note of her pronunciation of the town and district name. “I want to encourage you, nonMāori speakers and you Māori that don’t pronounce our names correctly,
to think about that,” MacDonald said. “I offer my services for free. I have already had one councillor talking to me wanting to learn. If you are interested I will out my hand up and put a summer school together.” MacDonald told The News, after the meeting, that lessons would begin in October. Te Nehenehenui Group chief executive Sam Mikaere was delighted to hear of MacDonald’s initiative. “We are certainly supportive of the idea of sharing Te Reo,” he said. “It’s a beautiful time to be doing so.” MacDonald serves as a cultural advisor for Ōtorohanga Museum and is closely involved with the Ōtorohanga Kiwi House Charitable Trust.
Pera Macdonald, left, pictured with Maniapoto orator Shane Te Ruki, is creating a free Te Reo summer school.
One into two can go… By Chris Gardner
He’s standing in two elections – one in Ōtorohanga and another in Hamilton – and Robbie Neha says he can to justice to both. “I will commit full-time to the role,” Neha said in two separate campaign brochures for Hamilton’s Kirikiriroa and Ōtorohanga District Council’s Ōtorohanga wards.
Asked by The News how it was possible so serve two councils full time if he won both seats, the self-employed television producer and documentary maker said: “the simple answer is that I don’t work for anybody. I decided that I can do that. If I do get in, I will be totally committed. I can move my contracts to the weekends.” He’s not alone. Sitting Waipā Māori ward councillor Dale-Maree
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Morgan has also put her hand up for a position on the Ngāruawāhia Community Board, part of the Waikato District Council. Neha was asked how he could serve two constituencies at last week’s candidates meeting hosted by Elevate Ōtorohanga at Ōtorohanga College. Hamilton based Neha said he initially planned to stand just in Ōtorohanga but had agreed to be nominated for
the Hamilton seat after a former councillor took him out to lunch. “It took a three-hour lunch to convince me,” Neha said. Neha checked with Ōtorohanga’s deputy electoral officer Graham Bunn to make sure serving two electorates was possible. “I have looked at the timetable until February next year, and barring no changes Ōtorohanga council meets on Tuesday,
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Hamilton’s a monster, which is why I didn’t want to run. The whole council meets on Wednesday; they have seven or eight other committees that meet other days of the week.” Neha said he had considered his approach from a moral and ethical point of view, as pulling out of either council after being elected would trigger a byelection.
Robbie Neha
Continued on page 3
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