ワイカト大学（The University of Waikato)で応用言語学を学ぶと同時に、マオリ語の初級講座を受講して、マオリ語による簡単な挨拶程度は話せるようになった私は、マオリ文化の影響が色濃く残る北島は東海岸のトータルエマージョンスクールやコハンガ・レオを訪問した際、子どもたちや生徒に挨拶をするときに、私は、まずマオリ語で長く話したかったが、さすがにそれは不可能だったので、まず簡単な自己紹介をマオリ語でして、日本語に切りかえて挨拶を続け、その後、今回紹介したような内容を主に英語で長く話をした。
ニュージーランド戦争跡地のフィールドワークとしても、北島を中心に1万キロほど日本の中古車で走ってきた。ワイタンギ・デーには、ウエリントンにあるビクトリア大学に1年間お世話になることになった娘とワイタンギにも出かけ、新聞社の簡単なインタビューも受けた。他にいろいろと紹介したい話もあるが、紙幅に限りもある。別の機会としたい。
この小論を終えるにあたって、昨年2004年度に大学から1年間にわたる海外研修の機会を得ることができたこと、さらに職場の方々に支えていただいたことを、ここに感謝したい。
Clumsy English Writing of Mine
‘Aotearoa New Zealand and the Two Official Languages’ (8)
Acknowledgments
When I visited a Total Immersion School and Kohanga Reo on the east coast of the North Island, where Māori culture remains strong, I was able to offer basic greetings in Māori, thanks to having studied applied linguistics and completed a beginner’s course in Māori at the University of Waikato. I wanted to speak as much Māori as possible when asked to greet the children and students, but it quickly became clear that it was beyond my ability. So I began with a brief self-introduction in Māori, then switched to Japanese, continuing until I sensed that their attention was waning. Afterward, I had a longer conversation in English, primarily discussing the same topics I have shared in my writings here.
Regarding my fieldwork on New Zealand’s historical war sites, I drove approximately 10,000 kilometers around the North Island in a used Japanese Subaru. On Waitangi Day, I visited Waitangi with my daughter, who is staying in Wellington for a year to study at Victoria University, and she was briefly interviewed by a newspaper reporter. There are many more stories I could share, but given the space limitations, I will save them for another time.
In closing, I would like to extend my gratitude to my colleagues for their support and for giving me the opportunity to participate in a year-long overseas training program at the university in 2004.
