Ra Tchuaono! (Sixth Day) o ta wiki o ta rē Moriori Today we kōrero with Thornton Lanauze-King, Fundraising and Engagement Lead for Ta Wiki o Ta Rē Moriori 2026, and an important bridge to our future youth working in this space but taking others along with her. Some words from Thornton: For Ta Wik’ a Ta Rē Moriori 2026, my role as Fundraising and Engagement Lead has been about helping bring the week’s activities to life, securing support and encouraging our hunau and wider community to get involved and celebrate ta rē Moriori. This is also my second year running messy play as part of Moriori Language Week, creating a hands-on space for our youngest tchimirik’ to explore and engage with ta rē from an early age. It’s a tchipanga I love being part of, making language and culture accessible through everyday activities. Our vision is to raise globally conscious tchimirik’ who are grounded in their tikane, hokopapa and identity as Chatham Islanders. We want Kōpinga to be a living, welcoming space where our tchimirik’ build a natural connection to their marae early on. Just as importantly, it is about creating a supportive village for our hunau. Raising young children on an isolated island can be challenging, particularly for parents who have married into the community or moved here without extended hunau support. We want to create a space where parents can connect, support one another and build the relationships that make raising tchimirik’ a little easier. Me rongo 🧠 #moriori #rekohu #moriorilanguageweek #tchimirik #firstdawnproductions - @black44robin