Leon Blake
Kaiwhakamāori,
Kanohi hihira,
Kanohi hōmiromiro
Books that Leon Blake contributed to:
Nō ngā iwi o Tūhoe, o Tūhourangi, o Ngāti Wāhiao, o Ngāti Whāwhākia, o Ngāti Porou, o Taranaki, o Ngāti Kahungunu, o Te Whānau a Apanui a Leon Heketū Blake, ā, kua roa ia e whakaako ana i te reo Māori ki ngā tamariki, ki ngā mātua, ki ngā kaiako anō hoki o te motu. He ika-a-Whiro a Leon nō Te Panekiretanga o te Reo. He kaiako hoki ia i reira, ā, ko ia tētahi o te hunga nāna i waihanga te tohu paetahi o Te Paritūtanga o te Reo me te tohu paerua o Te Reo Kairangi i raro i te maru o Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Ko Leon hoki tētahi o ngā mema o te ohu nāna i tiaki te kounga o te whakamāoritanga o te Ture mō te Reo, 2016. He mea whakawhiwhi ōna tohu mātauranga ki a ia e Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, i Papaioea.
Kua whakawhiwhia ki a Leon ngā tohu o te whakawhiti reo ā-tuhi, ā-waha hoki e whaimana ana i raro i Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. I te tekau tau kua hipa ake nei, mā tana pakihi o Kounga Ltd, kua tukuna e ia ngā ratonga e pā ana ki te reo Māori. Ko te tikanga o Kounga, ko te eke o te pai ki tōna taumata e tika ana – e whai ana a Leon kia tae atu āna mahi katoa e whai wāhi ai te reo Māori ki taua taumata rā. Tuku ratonga whakawhiti reo ai ia ki ngā pokapū o te kāwanatanga, ā, kua noho ia hei kaitohutohu reo Māori i ētahi hōtaka pouaka whakaata, tae atu ki a SpongeBob TarauPorowhā me Tōra Mātātoa. I te tau 2017, ka whakamāoritia e ia te pukapuka a Ahorangi Rangi Matamua e kīia nei ko Matariki: Te Whetū Tapu o te Tau. He pārekareka ki a Leon te whakatangi piana, te noho tahi hoki me ana mokopuna.
Leon Heketū Blake has tribal affiliations with Tūhoe, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Whāwhākia, Ngāti Porou, Taranaki, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Whānau a Apanui and has been a teacher of Māori language to children, adults and teachers around the country. Leon is a graduate of Te Panekiretanga o te Reo (The Institute of Excellence in the Māori Language) and became an assistant tutor within the programme for the ensuing fifteen years until its disestablishment. Leon co-wrote the curriculum for the Bachelor of Māori Language (Te Paritūtanga o te Reo) and Master of Māori Language Excellence (Te Reo Kairangi) delivered by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Leon was a member of the quality assurance group for Te Ture mō te Reo Māori (Māori Language Act, 2016). He received his qualifications at Massey University in Palmerston North.
Leon was awarded Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori’s license for translators and interpreters – Toi Reo Māori. For the past 10 years, through his company, Kounga Ltd, he has provided Māori language consultancy. Kounga means quality. To this end, Leon strives to ensure that all of his work pertaining to the Māori language reaches that standard. He provides translation services to Government agencies and has carried out language consultancy for television productions including SpongeBob TarauPorowhā and Tōra Mātātoa. In 2017, he translated Professor Rangi Matamua’s book, titled Matariki: Te Whetū Tapu o te Tau. Leon enjoys playing the piano and spending time with his grandchildren.