The ASB Polyfest launches the new Puni Reo Pāhekoheko which is a virtual reality game that includes Ki-O-Rahi, Netball, Squash and Basketball. The games focus on Te Reo Māori to help teach bi-lingual speakers.
Eru Morgan, Te Puni Kokiri senior advisor says, “This is a platform and a window into a new way in virtual reality gaming. It's all about the Māori language and our culture being used through mainstream resources such as technology.”
The Puni Reo Pāhekoheko VR game is tested out by Auckland's secondary school students.
Manurewa East School student Jahvus Simmones says, “Whenever I got a goal it said "Kāpai" "Tumeke" and all the other things to me.”
In a school environment, the game is about interacting using the basic words in Te Reo Māori.
“You can teamwork with people that you don't know and make friends.”
Kawana Wallace who is the designer of the VR Game says the main principle is to give Māori a voice in the virtual reality world.
“Our hope is to get VR technology, mobile technologies into schools and just saturate the market with Māori content. So that everyone has the opportunity to engage”, Mr Wallace said.