Headshot of Ariana Stevens

Ariana Stevens

Kaiwhakamāori

Nō Te Tai Poutini a Ariana Stevens, arā, ko Ngāti Waewae tōna hapū, ko Ngāi Tahu tōna iwi. Nā Te Ataarangi te reo i whāngai atu ki a Ariana nōna e rangatahi ana i Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka. Nāwai, nāwai, ka whai wāhi ia ki ngā mahi whakarauora reo ki raro i te tāwharau o Kotahi Mano Kāika. He Ika-a-Whiro a Ariana nō Te Panekiretanga o te Reo, kua puta hoki tōna ihu i Te Toi Reo Māori hei kaiwhakawhiti reo, i Te Tohu Paerua o Te Reo Kairangi anō hoki hei toa whakarauora reo.

I roto i ngā tau, kua tū a Ariana hei kaiako i ngā kura, i te hapori, i te marae, i ngā pakihi hoki. Ko tana mahi matua i tēnei wā, ko te hautū i tana tīma i Reo Māori Mai. Ko rātou tērā e whakatinana ana i te rautaki mātauranga, i te rautaki reo hoki mō Ngāti Waewae.

Ariana Stevens hails from the West Coast Te Tai Poutini, a descendant of Ngāti Waewae hapū of Ngāi Tahu. As a teenager living in Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka,  the top of the South Island, she was taught te reo Māori using the Ataarangi method. She later joined the reo revitalisation movement under the auspices of Kotahi Mano Kāika. A language champion, Ariana is a graduate of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo, a licensed translator through Te Toi Reo Māori and has a Masters degree in Māori Language Excellence.

Over the years Ariana has worked as a te reo teacher within schools, marae, businesses and local communities. She is currently overseeing a team within Reo Māori Mai, a Māori business specialising in language revitalisation, with a focus on implementing the Ngāti Waewae language and education strategy.

Books that Ariana Stevens contributed to: