This week is Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori, or Maori Language Week in the other official language of Aotearoa – New Zealand.
It is the 40th Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori this year and the theme is 'Whangaihia te reo ki nga matua' - 'Nurture the language in parents'.
Maori Language Week's theme this is nurture the dlanguage in parents
'We know that parents and caregivers play a critical role in reviving te reo Maori as a living language in the home,” says Maori Party Co-leader and mother of nine, Marama Fox.
'It is often quoted that ‘It takes one generation to lose a language and three generations to revive it', this is why it is so important for the current generation of parents and caregivers to pick up the reo challenge,”
In the spirit of nurturing the use of te reo Maori on a daily basis both co-leaders invite everyone to speak Maori to them, starting this week, and they will reply in kind.
'We know one of the major barriers to adult learners using the language is fear of getting it wrong. We want to encourage people to give it a go,” says Maori Party Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell.
As Minister for Maori Development,
Te Ururoa is leading the Maori language (Te Reo Maori) Bill through Parliament this year which will give whanau, hapu and iwi greater control over the national Maori language strategy.
'The Crown has a vital role in protecting and promoting the language but so too does every individual in Aotearoa New Zealand,” says Te Ururoa.
'As the only indigenous language of this country, its survival is in our hands. We'd love it if all people of Aotearoa New Zealand learnt and spoke te reo Maori. It's a unique and integral part of our national identity,” says Marama.
The Maori Party encourages everyone to make the most of Maori Language Week, starting today, and nurture the use of te reo Maori among whanau. Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori has produced a range of resources and promotions to help parents and caregivers keen to learn.
Education Minister Hekia Parata is also encouraging all New Zealanders to celebrate and engage in Te Wiki o te reo Maori.
'Maori Language Week is a chance for New Zealanders to celebrate our indigenous language and participate in one of the many events happening around the country that showcase Maori culture,” says Hekia.
'Maori language and culture is an important part of who we are as a nation so it's great to see parents from all backgrounds expressing a desire for their kids to have more exposure to it.
'We're seeing Maori language and culture becoming more and more visible in classrooms across New Zealand. Between 2010 and 2014, the number of kids learning te reo as a subject at school grew from around 133,000 to more than 147,000.
'I encourage everyone to take part in Maori Language Week and to use the language in their homes, work places, classrooms and communities.”
Maori Language Week runs from 27 July – 2 August 2015.
7 comments
Mate a moa
Posted on 27-07-2015 15:03 | By CONDOR
All the usual suspects spouting forth with the same old diatribe and hey wasn't it maori new year just the other week. What's next.
Hopeless in commerce and internationally
Posted on 27-07-2015 20:26 | By kellbell
There is a little bit of a clue here when as a school taught subject maori went from 133000 pupils in 2010 to 147000 pupils in 2015 a paltry increase of only 11% in 5years. All this despite zillions of $ dollars being spent on it with regular rip offs. Pupils only learn what interests them and from all reports clearly maori doesn't even though it is forced down their throats and if it wasn't for the compulsion aspect it would be long dead and buried. There is no harm in anybody learning traditional maori or any other language if they so wish but fabricated lingo makes it hard to warm to.It would have been better left alone in its natural form and the invention of new words is a put off too.When half baked politicians start bandying around words like indigenous and culture you know its in trouble.
Have a few native Winged Rats
Posted on 27-07-2015 20:41 | By The Caveman
for breakfast. Yes the Moa have well gone, so the next best is on the menu, is what we call winged rats (in the towns and cities) but their country/bush cousins are much better(as I was told by a chap up Thompsons Track) about 30 years ago with a sugar bag full !!!
Kaua e whakaiti
Posted on 27-07-2015 22:08 | By worried
Well you obviously don't respect the culture of your own country, if don't already know Te Reo Maori is an official language of our beautiful country. I am actually disappointed that we only celebrate one week annually and the the Maori new year you refer to is 'Matariki' which is the cluster of seven stars which came out in June. Pretty sad you feel like Condor
@condor
Posted on 28-07-2015 09:29 | By Colleen Spiro
Yes, all the usual suspects, showing their ignorance, will appear, just as you have done. Aue it might help you intellect to learn Te Reo, and take your mind of the hatred inside you.
Question
Posted on 28-07-2015 10:23 | By RawPrawn
If there comes a time when say, 90% of Te Reo speakers are non-maori, or pakeha, New Zealanders, will it still be the 'Maori' language?
and there you have it.
Posted on 28-07-2015 21:09 | By kellbell
Here is the fact of the matter - one of the earlier maori dictionaries was completed over time by colonist Samuel Deighton (1821-1900) and finally published in 1887 with maori, moriori and English word options -A4 size 22 pages containing around 1000 words.This shows maori was effectively an insignificant simple basic limited language comprising few words and easily learned.Compare that with the over the top fabricated word list of today then old time maori wouldn't recognise it.The written maori language was penned by missionaries starting around the early 1820s assisted by Hongi Hika and prior to that no written language ever existed.Here endeth the history lesson.
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