27 July 2015

Getting behind Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

The Māori Party encourages everyone to make the most of Māori Language Week, starting today, and nurture the use of te reo Māori among whānau.

This year’s theme for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori is “Whāngaihia te reo ki ngā mātua” “Nurture the language in parents”.

“We know that parents and caregivers play a critical role in reviving te reo Māori as a living language in the home.

“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,” says Māori Party Co-leader Marama Fox and mother of nine.

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori has produced a range of resources and promotions to help parents and caregivers keen to learn.

In the spirit of nurturing the use of te reo Māori on a daily basis both co-leaders invite everyone to speak Māori 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 Māori Party Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell.

As Minister for Māori Development, Mr Flavell is leading the Māori language (Te Reo Māori) Bill through Parliament this year which will give whānau, hapū and iwi greater control over the national Māori 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 Mr Flavell.

“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 Māori. It’s a unique and integral part of our national identity,” says Mrs Fox.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Māori Language Week.

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