It popped up just once in the Masterton District Council’s press statement – right up front in the headline, where it was hard to miss.
Breathing New Life Into Our Whare Pukapuka – First View Of Library Transformation
The council’s communications team perhaps was demonstrating they had some te reo in their vocabularies. Or maybe they were intent on expanding the vocabularies of those readers who hadn’t a clue what might happen in a whare pukapuka.
At least some citizens – surely – would do a bit of research to find out what the council was doing with their money.
PoO did just that and found “whare pukapuka” translates to “library” in English. It literally means “house of books” or “house for books” in Māori.
According to our Google source, the term is a direct translation of the English word “library,” reflecting its function as a place where books are kept and accessed.
We may suppose it is a post-colonisation translation of “library” because Māori weren’t big on books before the Europeans turned up.
The council communications team did not repeat the te reo in their press statement.
Thereafter, they used the word “library”.
They told us:
Masterton residents can now see the vision for their district’s library, as the first architectural images of the refurbished Masterton District Library are released.
The images showcase a modern, light-filled space that blends functionality with inspiration – revealing how the ambitious $10.75 million refurbishment and extension will enhance the community’s use of the library.
And so on…
The statement further says the Council is collaborating with local iwi
“… to create a stunning facility that celebrates Masterton’s cultural identity, including integration of te reo Māori throughout signage and navigation.”
Ah. Does that explain why challenging language (for most people) was used in the headline?
The $10.75 million investment, approved as part of the Council’s 2024-34 Long-Term Plan, represents a major commitment to the District’s cultural and educational future, Mayor Gary Caffell said.
“The images we’re releasing today represent more than just a building upgrade – they show our commitment to creating a vibrant hub with creativity, learning, and community connection at its heart,” Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell said.
PoO notes The Post eschewed the opportunity to inject element of te reo into its report on the Masterton library plans.
Its headline on the council’s news was:
At least some citizens – surely – would do a bit of research to find out what the council was doing with their money.
PoO did just that and found “whare pukapuka” translates to “library” in English. It literally means “house of books” or “house for books” in Māori.
According to our Google source, the term is a direct translation of the English word “library,” reflecting its function as a place where books are kept and accessed.
We may suppose it is a post-colonisation translation of “library” because Māori weren’t big on books before the Europeans turned up.
The council communications team did not repeat the te reo in their press statement.
Thereafter, they used the word “library”.
They told us:
Masterton residents can now see the vision for their district’s library, as the first architectural images of the refurbished Masterton District Library are released.
The images showcase a modern, light-filled space that blends functionality with inspiration – revealing how the ambitious $10.75 million refurbishment and extension will enhance the community’s use of the library.
And so on…
The statement further says the Council is collaborating with local iwi
“… to create a stunning facility that celebrates Masterton’s cultural identity, including integration of te reo Māori throughout signage and navigation.”
Ah. Does that explain why challenging language (for most people) was used in the headline?
The $10.75 million investment, approved as part of the Council’s 2024-34 Long-Term Plan, represents a major commitment to the District’s cultural and educational future, Mayor Gary Caffell said.
“The images we’re releasing today represent more than just a building upgrade – they show our commitment to creating a vibrant hub with creativity, learning, and community connection at its heart,” Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell said.
PoO notes The Post eschewed the opportunity to inject element of te reo into its report on the Masterton library plans.
Its headline on the council’s news was:
Modern vision for Masterton library
There was no mention of a whare pukapuka in its report.
The Masterton district has a population of 27,678, according to the 2023 Census. The Māori ethnic group accounted for 6,267 of that number.
Did any of those Maori struggle to comprehend the Post report?
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog - where this article was sourced.
5 comments:
There is nothing contained within this movement that shows any respect for the gift of civilization and democracy brought here by the most advanced people of the European west the world has ever known.
These people pushing this insurrection deserve nothing but scorn.
Certainly not our admiration.
The use of bastitized English words is an abomination.
All New Zealanders need to learn some self respect.
A verbal only lexicon of less than 1000 words, creating words as replacements for perfectly understood English words, and then expecting the general public to study these new words on a weekly basis ???
What are they putting into the water in Masterton (and everywhere else) that turns normal people into gullible woke servants of the local Maori elite ?
I agree mudbayripper 100 percent. On a side note, just received Aucklands rates bill and nary a word in Maori, funny that. All the rest of the trash from them is filled with it.
When we returned to Christchurch, we went looking for the library. After a lot of searching we finally found ourselves outside a building called Turanga. Only when we were right outside did we find a small sign, telling us this was actually the Christchurch City Library. Wonder what the tourists think?
What a joke. Another invented Maori word that I suspect many that speak Te Reo wouldn't know what it means. A word for a place and concept that simply didn't exist in traditional times - given there was no written words, yet alone books. The idiots that push this crap truly sickens me. Why don't they use the word that everyone understands, like library, for these hitherto unknown concepts to Maori? But, no - they have to spin it into some Maori bulldust.
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