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Writer's pictureNZ Booklovers

Ten Nosey Weka by Kate Preece and Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

                                        



Ten Nosey Weka is the first counting book to include ta rē Moriori. Ta rē Moriori is the original language of the Chatham Islands. The islands are known as Rēkohu in ta rē Moriori, and Wharekauri in te reo Māori. They are in the Pacific Ocean, a long way east of the South Island of New Zealand.


A countdown rhyme tells the story of the adventurous weka who can’t resist poking their curious beaks into risky places, nibbling on attractive fodder, or getting tangled up with objects that may not be weka-friendly.


                Four nosey weka

                Passed a kōpi tree.

                One pecked a purehe [spider]

                Then there were … [three]


As well as the rhyme, each double-page spread features a number from 1 to 10 and introduces a new word in English, ta rē Moriori, and te reo Māori.  


There’s plenty to look at on every page. Besides the weka, many other animals show up – including seals, swans, pukeko and crayfish. At the end of the book there’s a counting game that encourages readers to find various animals throughout the book, some of which are native to Rēkohu | the Chatham Islands. There’s also more information about the Moriori language, a short glossary (list of words) in all three languages, and ten key facts about weka. Did you know that although they can’t fly, they are super speedy runners? Or that you can eat a weka for dinner if you’re visiting Rēkohu?


The striking illustrations by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White depict the natural habitat of Rēkohu with its rolling hills, waterfalls and rugged coastline shown in soothing browns, blues and greens. Chatham Island forget-me-nots, ferns, flax and other plants feature too.


This entertaining and informative book makes it easy to expand your vocabulary and will help to revive ta rē Moriori. Author Kate Preece has family connections to Rēkohu and now lives there. She was motivated to write the book so that her children could be introduced to the language of her husband’s ancestors.


Thousands of people around the world have Moriori karāpuna/ancestors. By learning ta rē Moriori, we discover more about an important part of New Zealand’s history and keep the language alive for generations to come.


You can hear more about the book, the author, and her life on Rēkohu in this Radio New Zealand interview


Reviewer: Anne Kerslake Hendricks

Bateman Books

 

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