Ngā Kupenga A Nanny Rina

He pukapuka tēnei hei whakanui a Matariki, mā te kōrero ki waenga i te mokopuna ko Haeata Te Kapua me tōna kuia a Nanny Rina. He kairaranga a Nanny Rina, nō reira, ka whakamārama atu a Nanny Rina i ngā momo raranga e hāngai ana ki te kai me te hautapu. Ko ētahi o ngā mea kāore i tino kitea i ēnei rangi, pērā i te kōrapa hei hopu i ngā manu iti. Ka whakaingoa hoki a Nanny Rina i ngā rauemi ki te hanga i taua kōrapa, ko te harakeke, te muka me te kareao. He māmā te kite i te aroha kei waenga i a Nanny Rina me tāna mokopuna, he hōhonu hoki te whakaaro o te kaituhi a Qiane Matata-Sipu kia pēnei te whakamānawa i a Matariki.

Kei muri i te pukapuka nei ētahi tohutohu hei hanga i tētahi kupenga iti. He ngohe tino pai tēnei mā ngā kaiako, mā ngā whānau anō hoki. I hīkaka rawa ahau ki te kite i tērā nā te mea he kairaranga hoki ahau, heoi, kua ako ahau i ēnei mahi i roto i te reo Pākehā. He uaua tonu ki ahau ki te whakamārama atu i ēnei momo mahi ki āku tauira, heoi kei tēnei pukapuka he reo tohutohu, he reo whakamārama. Nā tāku hīkaka ki te kite i tēnei, i whakaatu ahau i te pukapuka nei ki āku haumī raranga. He tino rauemi tēnei.

He rerehua ngā pikitia, nā Isobel Joy Te Aho-White i tā. He pai tēnei pukuapuka ki ngā whānau reo Māori, Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa, Kura-a-iwi anō hoki. Ko tēnei tāku tino pukapuka o te tau!

Ngā Kupenga a Nanny Rina celebrates Matariki by way of a conversation between grandchild and grandmother (Nanny Rina). Nanny Rina is a weaver, therefore, she explains different types of weaving and how they relate to food and preparing a hautapu for Matariki. Some of the woven items are not often seen, such as a kōrapa for catching small birds. Nanny Rina also explains the resources required for weaving: harakeke, muka and kareao. It is easy to see the love between grandmother and grandchild, however, Qiane Matata-Sipu has clearly put a great depth of thought in to the structure of the book to describe and celebrate Matariki.

At the back of the book are instructions to make a small kupenga (net). This is a great activity for teachers and for families. I was really excited to see that as I am also a weaver, but I learnt to weave in English. It is still difficult for me to give weave instructions in te reo Māori, but this book includes instructions in te reo Māori. I was so excited when I saw this that I showed this book to my weaving friends. This is a really great resource.

Isobel Joy Te Aho-White’s illustrations are beautiful. This book will appeal to families using te reo Māori, Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa and Kura-a-iwi. This has been my favourite book this year to review!