I te ata hapara i te Tīhema 4th i 2020 ka hakawāteatia te toa mo te tūwheratanga o Dear Deer Coffee Roasting Bar Whangaparāoa. On the 4th of December 2020, just before sunrise, Te Herenga Waka o Orewa Marae whānau performed a blessing ceremony for the opening of a very special coffee shop that overlooks the Whangaparāoa peninsula: Dear Deer Coffee Roasting Bar Whangaparāoa. Since it's opening this special little shop has been spreading te reo Māori alongside freshly roasted coffee and delicious baked goods.
Ko Yuka he ākonga reo Māori o mua i Te Herenga o Orewa Marae. E ngākau nui ana ia ki te reo Māori me te tikanga Māori. E ai ki a Yuka, he āhua orite te ahurea Māori ki te ahurea Hapanihi. Yuka is a former student of te reo Māori at Te Herenga Waka o Orewa Marae and has a great love for the Māori language and culture. She has found many similarities between her own Japanese culture and the Māori culture.
Yuka and her husband Ken have incorporated te reo Māori into the daily running of the shop. Te reo Māori signage, books and games can be seen all over the shop, with templates given to customers who wish to try ordering in te reo Māori. Many regular customers have learned and gained confidence in using greetings and everyday phrases in te reo Māori by practising with Yuka. Dear Deer Coffee Roasting Bar Whangaparāoa is a favourite for locals due to it's warm, friendly service. Ken and Yuka embody Manaakitanga (hospitality) a key concept also in Japanese culture.
Yuka, supported by Ken, runs a weekly Kapa Kōrero (Te reo Māori conversation group) at the shop (when in green light setting) welcoming people of all backgrounds and abilities. Kapa Kōrero caters for speakers at all levels of te reo Māori. Sessions alternate between the fundamentals of the language and rumaki reo (full immersion). Rumaki reo sessions are an opportunity for members to hold conversations and interact fully in te reo Māori. It's all about giving it a go: Pai tū pai hinga!
Yuka and Ken not only make and roast amazing coffee they also keep busy volunteering around the community at our marae, local schools and at community events through their mahi (work) with Pest Free Hibiscus Coast and the cultural group 'Hibiscus Tuakana'.
