Kōrero Mai Collective
Tō mātou haerenga
"If I want it to be, then I am the key"
In 2017, before starting their whānau, Kahurangi Stone (née Watene – Waikato Tainui, Ngāti Maru) and Wiremu Stone (Ngāti Wai, Ngāi Tahu) began their Te Reo Māori journey with a clear vision—to raise their future tamariki in a home where te reo Māori would be the everyday language of their whānau.
In 2019, with two tamariki, they relocated to Kaikōura and quickly recognised the limited opportunities available for their children to be immersed in te reo Māori and te ao Māori. From this need, Kōrero Mai was born. This vision led to the design, establishment, and operation of a Puna Reo – a Māori language early childhood education centre. Supporting the operational and strategic direction of the organisation, Wiremu brings his expertise as a Chartered Accountant and is currently completing his MBA, strengthening the financial sustainability and long-term growth of Kōrero Mai.
With the opening of the Puna, Fiona Watene (née Weti Te Tauwhara – Waikato, Tainui) joined as Education Director, bringing over 20 years of experience across early childhood, primary, intermediate, and tertiary education. With a Master’s in Educational Leadership and a strong commitment to raising her own mokopuna in te reo Māori, Fiona plays a key role in supporting quality practice and educational leadership within the Puna.
Kahurangi brings a background in Health and Environmental Science, with a focus on language revitalisation and acquisition, alongside a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching. Her work reflects a deep commitment to both hauora and education, creating learning environments that strengthen language, identity, and overall wellbeing.
Over the past seven years, Kōrero Mai has continued to grow. This journey has included Kahurangi and Wiremu welcoming two more tamariki, building and managing a Puna Reo, developing a range of programmes including bilingual and immersion whānau groups, Te reo wānanga, community te reo Māori classes (Levels 3 and 4), and tailored language programmes for corporate organisations.
Looking ahead, there are plans to further expand into community financial literacy education.
In 2026, the whānau relocated to Ōtautahi to pursue new opportunities for growth and impact. Kōrero Mai is now seeking to build strong partnerships and deliver meaningful contracts, with an ongoing commitment to supporting the revitalisation and everyday use of te reo Māori.
