Ngā Manu Kōrero is a speech competition for secondary students that encourages fluency in te reo Māori and English.

History The contest began in 1965 as the Korimako Speech Contest. Sir Bernard Fergusson donated a trophy to encourage greater English fluency in Māori students. School and regional competitions were organised by the Post Primary Teachers' Association and Māori Education Foundation (now Māori Education Trust) with a national final in August 1965.Rāwiri Tinirau and Annemarie Gillies, 'Ngā Manu Kōrero: Revitalizing Communication, Customs and Cultural Competencies Amongst Māori Students, Teachers, Whānau and Communities', Educational Perspectives, Volume 45, Numbers 1 and 2, pages 47-81

In 1977, the Pei Te Hurinui Jones Contest was added for senior Māori oratory. Three years later, a junior English section was introduced, with a taonga for the section provided by Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Tairoa in memory of Sir Turi Carroll, and three years after that, the junior Māori oratory section, Rāwhiti Īhaka, was added.

In 1987, after considerable growth in the competition, it was renamed 'Ngā Whakataetae mō Ngā Manu Kōrero o Ngā Kura Tuarua', generally shortened to Ngā Manu Kōrero.

In 2020, the competition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, it was moved online.

Divisions The competition has four divisions:

Pei Te Hurinui Jones Contest Named in honour of Dr Pei Te Hurinui Jones, a Waikato elder and scholar who died in 1976, this section is for Senior students and consists of two speeches in te reo Māori, one prepared and the other impromptu.

Te Rāwhiti Ihaka Contest Named in honour of Rāwhiti Ihaka, a skilled orator and teacher at St Stephens School, this section is for Junior students and consists of one prepared speech in te reo Māori.

Korimako Contest The Korimako Contest is for Senior* students and consists of two speeches in English, one prepared and the other impromptu.

Sir Turi Carroll Contest Named in honour of Sir Turi Carroll, Ngāti Kahungunu leader and orator, this section is for Junior* students and consists of a prepared speech in English.

Former Winners +Year of WinPei Te HurunuiKorimakoRāwhiti IhakaSir Turi Caroll1965NO COMPETITIONDonna AwatereNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1966NO COMPETITIONPamela BennettNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1967NO COMPETITIONRawinia PakuNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1968NO COMPETITIONRaelene BeauchampNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1969NO COMPETITIONPeata MunroeNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1970NO COMPETITIONPhilip MunroeNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1971NO COMPETITIONMargaret Mary GordonNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1972NO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1973NO COMPETITIONPrudence KapuaNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1974NO COMPETITIONRobert KerehomeNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1975NO COMPETITIONLen MaxwellNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1976NO COMPETITIONKevin Wehipeihana NO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1977Vicki WehiLillian HetetNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1978Raniera Te MoniJohn WaititiNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1979Mauriora KingiAroaro HonaNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION1980Derek LardelliKaren Hoko Te MoanaNO COMPETITIONDarrin Apanui1981William Te AhoDale TimmaNO COMPETITIONRata Kamau1982William Te AhoKara ShortlandNO COMPETITIONKeri Milne1983Te Awanui TimutimuMargaret EdwardsMartin SimeonKeri Milne1984Wai Eruera Keri MilneWayne WillsErina Hurihanganui1985Hans Tiakiwai Marama OrmsbyKupe KakaDallas Cribb1986Nicholas NgaropoRebecca DavisLisa LumsdenDerryn Milne1987Ruia Abraham Katie PaulTamehana NgaropoKane Milne1988Christine WardShane HeremaiaTe Aroha PaengaKane Milne1989Paul BrookingEugene HapiIan NepiaTony Murray1990Coby KarauriaJeremy LambertLen LopataAsia Tawhai1991Hinematioro NohotimaTajim MohammedNgatapa BlackJason Ruhe1992Tony MurrayWiremu DiamondDesmond TawhiJason Ruhe1993Pateriki McGarvey Julian WilcoxTamati WaakaReuben Whakamoe1994Pateriki McGarveyWesley HemaParaone GloyneStephen Comrie1995Tamati WaakaParehuia HekeMarseilles CopperGraeme Rakuraku1996Tamati WaakaCushla Pou-HaereitiPumi TumaiChantelle Herbert1997Tamati WaakaRegan PepereTawhirimatea WilliamsPatricia Tauraeiki1998Kingi KirionaKingi KirionaTawhirimatea WilliamsHinenui Tipoki-Lawton1999Pumi TumaiKingi KirionaJames TeepaSarah Thornley2000Hinurewa PoutuHinurewa PoutuTe Ingo NgaiaChardel Kiriona2001Tawhirimatea WilliamsJasmine Turei & Turanga MeritoRopiha AndersonBrendan Solomon2002Tawhirimatea WilliamsTell KukaRichard HohuaTai Kahe-Katterns2003Whitiaua BlackMakareta McGavockNawaia WateneEruera Manuel2004Whitiaua BlackWeronika GraceRapaera TawhaiLevi Te Ahorangi Ferris2005Mangere TekaNgira SimmondsKawiti WaetfordTania Matua2006Hona BlackAidan AllenKimiora-Kaire MelbourneMatariki Cribb2007Tupoutahi Winiata-KaiparaIbrahim SolomanTe Ataakura PewhairangiCruz Karauti Fox2008Tokoaitua WiniataRihari RatahiRākai-Hākeke WhauwhauMitchell Spence2009Te Wairere NgaiaKani RickardKeria PakiTaylor Taranaki 2010Herea WinitanaSoraya KamauKaharau KeoghEvana Schnikel2011Hoera KereamaPereteruruoteramana Wihongi Ahurei Kaaho WiniataZion Otimi-Whanga-Papa2012Kaharau KeoghRangimārie TeautamaTe Aranga HakiwaiShayla Fiaui2013Raniera BlakeSonny NgataiMatawhaiti Nepe-PohatuKaren Cribb2014Te Rangimoana RangihauSonny Ngatai Michael RangihauNikau Te Huki2015Akuira TiakiwaiTe Ariki Te PuniKaanihi Butler-HareMoana Cook2016Paumea WalkerHinepounamu Apanui-BarrTangirau PapaHetera'a Mahana Tahau-Hodges2017Whakaue WiniataPiripi GordonNgawairere PihamaShay Witehira 2018Maia TakitimuTuimaleali'ifano FisoTe Ākauroa JacobSophia 'Unga-Cribb2019Hinewai Netana-WilliamsManaia SorensonTanekaha Mariu-RangiParetoroa Webster-Tarei2020NO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION2021Te Ākauroa JacobKhalia WilsonH'zel HetarakaAria Komene2022Heremia McGarveyReihana Heemi TeriakiEpiha Muru-KeteTuck Kahukuranui2023Elite RetiMaro PrestonCharlie CashaTuhingaia Manihera2024Te Kanawa WilsonTuhingaia ManiheraKahurere WhauwhauPou Ariki Hemara-Daniels2025Te Kahurangi Teinakore-HuakiScott PicardAtareta MilnePou Ariki Hemara-Daniels2026Rereaio KahiKuramātakitaki StevensTangiata Teinakore-HuakiArihia Phillips

References