Mātakina! Te Whakanuitanga O Te Petihana Reo Māori

Kia tae atu tātou ki te aroaro o te Atua, tērā pea a te Atua kī a tātou:

Ka pēheatia e koutou te reo rangatira i hoatungia e āhau ki a koutou?*

(Na Te Ouenuku Rene, o Ngāti Toa, ki te Roopu Te Reo Māori, 1970)

Join Whakaata Māori as the official broadcaster of commemorations of Te Petihana Reo Māori (the Māori Language Petition) and the people who made it happen.

Two live broadcasts will cover national commemorations from both Wellington and New Plymouth on Wednesday 14 September and Thursday 15 September.

Both mark a turning point in our history as Aotearoa, New Zealand, when te reo Māori was firmly placed on the national conscience.

Fifty years ago, 14 September 1972, representatives of Ngā Tamatoa, Te Rōpū Reo Māori (Te Reo Māori Society) and university students delivered the Māori language petition to the steps of Parliament. The 30,000-strong petition called for recognition of te reo Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand and for the language to be taught in schools.

Whakaata Māori will broadcast live from Parliament at 11.00am, recognising those who laid the pathway five decades ago for hundreds of tamariki today.

On Thursday from 6.00AM, Whakaata Māori will also livestream the karakia and unveiling of a monumental five story mural of Hana Te Hemara, painted by Graham Hoete (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Awa), in her hometown of Ngāmotu (New Plymouth).

Hana Te Hemara led Ngā Tamatoa with others to the capital 50 years ago.

All events will be broadcast live on Whakaata Māori and livestreamed on Māori+ and www.whakaatamaori.co.nz

Nau mai haere mai ki tēnei hui ahurei!

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE:

• 11.00 AM – 1.00 PM WEDNESDAY 14 MAHURU / SEPTEMBER

Te Whakanuitanga o te Petihana Reo Māori

Livestream: https://fb.me/e/36OJdptUN

• 6.00 AM - THURSDAY 15 MAHURU / SEPTEMBER

I Am Hana – unveiling and blessing of Hana Te Hemara mural in Ngāmotu

Livestream: https://fb.me/e/1K9vEsEkK

* Whaimutu Dewes, a member of the Te Reo Society, remembers the words of Te Ouenuku Rene in issuing his challenge to the Society: ‘Kia tae atu tātou ki te aroaro o te Atua, tērā pea a te Atua kī a tātou: Ka pēheatia e koutou te reo rangatira i hoatungia e āhau ki a koutou?’

‘If I was to stand before God, and he asked me, what have you done with this gift (te reo) I have given you, what would I say?’

Te Ouenuku would later head the procession to present Te Petihana Reo Māori on the steps of Parliament.

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