Taiaha hā! Taiaha hā! - Te kairangi o te reo hoki mai ki taku tikanga, ki taku taumata, ki taku reo, ki taku ao. He reo
whai tikanga, he reo whai mana, he reo whai tangata koe.
Ki te whāngaihia te reo Māori he ao tēnā, ki te kore he whākorekore kē te hua ki te ao.
E rere taku reo kia mau koe ki te tangata.
The 50th anniversary of the presentation of the Māori language petition and Māori Language Day will be commemorated as a
major anniversary next year, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni and Minister for Māori Development
Willie Jackson announced today.
Cabinet has agreed to raise the mana of this significant anniversary by designating it a Tier 1 event on the
Government’s 2022 commemorations programme. Tier 1 designation is reserved for major anniversaries of events whose
impact was felt throughout the motu and changed Aotearoa significantly.
“Government continues to recognise the importance of significant events such as this anniversary, which has shaped our
history, Te Ao Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand,” Carmel Sepuloni said.
“The Māori language petition, supported by 30,000 signatories, was presented to Parliament on the 14th September 1972 by
representatives of Ngā Tamatoa, Victoria University’s Te Reo Māori Society and the NZ Māori Students Association. This
is an important opportunity to pay further tribute to their hard mahi.
“Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora will lead commemoration activities for the anniversary, with Te Mātāwai guiding iwi and
Māori initiatives and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori leading government initiatives.
“Manatū Taonga (Ministry for Culture and Heritage) leads the Government’s wider commemorations programme, and will
support this anniversary by ensuring there is a coordinated, cross-government effort to mark this important moment in
our history,” Carmel Sepuloni said.
“The petition was a watershed moment and the determination and courage of the petitioners and all those who have helped
revitalise te reo Māori in some way should be acknowledged,” Willie Jackson said today.
“The Māori language petition changed the future for all New Zealanders. At a time when it was socially unacceptable to
speak or celebrate te reo Māori: a small group stood on the steps of our parliament and called for our indigenous
language to be honoured, to be taught in our schools and most importantly to be preserved for future generations. This
event honours their legacy.”
“This builds on the work we have already undertaken as a Government, including teaching New Zealand history in schools.
As a Government we want to see te reo Māori protected and thriving. This celebration is an important part of that,”
Willie Jackson said.
Next year heralds a series of milestone anniversaries for te reo Māori including:50 years since the first national kapa haka competition40 years since the first kōhanga reo opened35 years since the Māori Language Act saw te reo become an official language and the Māori Language Commission, Te Taura
Whiri i te Reo Māori, was established.