Living Language

Torere, East Cape. May 2009 Ajr.

One of my favourite discoveries on my East Cape travels was beautiful little Torere School, located at the top of the hill overlooking a sweeping horseshoe bay. Quite apart from its magnificent carved gateway (which I wrote about here some weeks ago; click on Torere School in the label line below), there was a lovely atmosphere about the place. The grounds were immaculate and every surface seemed to be decorated. I wandered into the school grounds (it was a weekend so no one was about), to have a closer look hoping the folks in the nearby cluster of houses wouldn't think me suspicious. I was thrilled to see whole classrooms filled with evidence of thriving bilingualism - more te Reo than English in fact - or so it seemed from my quick peek. Lovely. I'd love to visit again when school is in.