April 18, 2016
Digital technology shown off with Ngarimu book
Digitally-focused rangatahi are the target for a new adaption of the story of Victoria Cross winner Te Moananui a Kiwa Ngarimu.
Ngarimu Te Tohu Toa / Victory at Point 209 originally came out as a graphic novel from Huia Publishers, but now Kiwa Digital with the backing of Manatu Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage has turned it into an interactive digital book.
Chief executive Steve Renata says it's a great way to show off Kiwa's Cut Pro software that synchronises text and audio files.
It's also a contribution to the revitalisation of the Ngati Porou dialect spoken by the Second Lieutenant and his C Company comrades, and it appeals to a hard to reach group of students.
"In this case boys, particularly round the ages 12 to 17 who sometimes struggle with literacy and reading at school so we thought if we could create and revitalise some content relevant to them we could help lift the engagement process so quite a lot of kaupapa going on but it all came together in the end and we are very happy about it," Mr Renata says.
Ngarimu Te Tohu Toa/ Victory at Point 209 is available free from the App Store for iPADs and iPhones, with a further version in e-pub format due for release to be available by the end of the month.
It was launched by Education Minister Hekia Parata at a ceremony in parliament for this year's Ngarimu VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship winners.
EDUCATION MINISTER HEKIA PARATA INTERVIEW
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