From Monday, July 23, Tauranga District Court staff will be making announcements in Maori and English as district courts around the country introduce bi-lingual greetings.
Court registrars and attendants will open, adjourn and close sittings at the District, Family and Youth courts in both languages.
New Zealand Law Society president Jonathan Temm says he's surprised te reo Maori is only now being introduced, considering it had been an official language of New Zealand since 1987.
He says there is already a significant amount of te reo being used as everyday language in state agencies and other courts including the Maori Land Court, Waitangi Tribunal and Rangatahi Youth Court.
Te Taura Whiri I te Rea Maori (The Maori Language Commission) is thrilled with the announcement.
'This is a positive move and a useful means by which we can continue to work toward realising the aspirational focus of the Maori Language Act 1987, which speaks of enabling te reo Maori as an ordinary means of communication,” says chief executive Glenis Philip-Barbara.
'This is a significant system change that takes a huge amount of good will and collaboration.”
The following greetings will be said in both Maori and English:
IN MAORI
Opening
Turituri mo Tona Honore, te Kaiwhakawa, Taki tu - Silence for His/Her Honour the Judge. All stand.
Kua tuwhera te Kooti a-Rohe - The District Court is now open.
Adjournment/Conclusion
Turituri. Taki tu. Kua hiki te Kooti - Silence. All stand. The court is adjourned.
Kua haere ano te Kooti - The court is resumed.
20 comments
WHY
Posted on 21-07-2012 15:17 | By PLONKER
98% of real new Zealanders can not speak or understand Maori? is that not isolating the majority?
PLONKER
Posted on 21-07-2012 16:27 | By Matt
It's bi-lingual mate. So they are saying those two greetings in English and Maori. Sorry you seem to be hard of thinking.
Posted on 21-07-2012 16:36 | By SonnyJim
What a load of cobblers!
Lip service
Posted on 21-07-2012 21:54 | By penguin
It's just another case of PC ‘ness. Most cultures in NZ would not have a clue what the greeting meant let alone probably really care. It's time we woke up and realised that NZ is rapidly becoming a MULTI CULTURAL SOCIETY. Whether we like it or not, English is the predominant language for the predominant group! An example of this is when I have passed the time of day with a number of Maori, they have NOT used Maori language greetings. So, it begs the question - who is calling the tune?
Posted on 22-07-2012 09:50 | By whatsinaname
Like Plonker says 98% of nz can not and cant understand Maori. Talk about becoming a racist country.
Calm down, it's not life threatening
Posted on 22-07-2012 09:52 | By elainec
Te reo is a beautiful language to listen to even if you don't understand. The announcements are being made in English as well so no one is being isolated. Here's an idea, perhaps some of the 98% could learn some phrases thus opening their minds a little, growing some more pathways in their brains, finding enjoyment in another culture's language.
Sigh - more time wasting.
Posted on 22-07-2012 10:06 | By SonnyJim
"Turituri mo Tona Honore, te Kaiwhakawa, Taki tu." WHAT? No body moves, except the Waikeria graduate up front. I wonder what "THE BUILDING IS ON FIRE" is in maori or cantonese? Do we need to know?
Complete waste of time and cash
Posted on 22-07-2012 13:16 | By KAMIKAZE
Does not make the courts bi lingual at all simply unnecessarily lengthens the 'greetings' or whatever which no one hears or listens to anyway.We need this sort of mumbo jumbo like a whole in the head- more training more money more waste of time.Only small upside is it caters for most of the existing clientele.
Waste of Money
Posted on 22-07-2012 15:49 | By carpedeum
For goodness sake- surely we have better things to spend our taxes on than employing people to speak Maori when a minority of the people ( including many Maoris themselves) neither speak not understand (nor wish to) either.
.
Posted on 22-07-2012 18:43 | By traceybjammet
im happy to learn more general usage maori as it is a beautiful language and Kiwis should embrace it as our culture I find the issue for some of the older generations is change and the issue of always separating pakeha and Maori instead of working together to become Kiwis a great little nation with a unique culture all of our own.
Needs must!
Posted on 22-07-2012 21:30 | By monty111
From my observations, driving past the court on most days, this is probably a good thing and long overdue!
NEEDS OF THE CUSTOMERS
Posted on 22-07-2012 22:47 | By YOGI
Yes a good idea, as most in the courts would appreciate the bi-ligeral words at the start before their demise!
Takatukahakablabla
Posted on 23-07-2012 07:46 | By SpeakUp
PC BS
MULTI LINGUAL
Posted on 23-07-2012 13:14 | By PLONKER
Would sound a lot better to recognise each cultural group, NZ is Multi-lingual not just Bi-lingual.
Money Wasted
Posted on 23-07-2012 16:06 | By Sailornz
This will take more time there fore cost more money. I thought this Govt was trying to cutout money wasted .
GOOD MORNING STARSHINE
Posted on 24-07-2012 10:08 | By Hebegeebies
Yabba dabba dabba yabba dabba dabba doobie doobie doo doobie doobie doo.Got the picture and I agree this is PC Bull**** just trying to placate the disruptive elements.
DISRUPTIVE ELEMENTS
Posted on 25-07-2012 16:19 | By PLONKER
I guess so, of course it is the Courts so that is logically where they reside and congregate on a daily basis ... shuffle in shuffle out. Think of it as a bit of aclimatising of the local folk before they move on to their permanent place of abode.
MULTI LIGUAL
Posted on 12-08-2012 19:15 | By TERMITE
Would be better and a much fairer representation of NZ
I look forward to giving my mihimihi in court
Posted on 16-08-2012 20:40 | By Can do it
Great to see the Judicial system being dragged into the new century. Go for it. Teach the Judges some respect for the official language of New Zealand since 1987. Ko Colin toku ingoa
THE LINGO?
Posted on 16-08-2012 22:12 | By PLONKER
So does that mean dingo as well?
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.