Mobilsing te reo through sports and technology
Te Puni Kokiri will be launching the first ever Maori language netball app. Designed to bring te reo Maori to life with
whanau at the netball courts, ‘Puni Reo Poitarawhiti’ is an innovative device that makes using te reo Maori at the
netball courts easy, fun and accessible.
Puni Reo Poitarawhiti will be launched this week during ASB Polyfest - the largest rangatahi Maori festival in the
world. With an expected audience of more than 90,000, this will be an exciting place to introduce this new app.
At a critical time when statistics report that there is a decline in the number of Maori language speakers, this app
will assist the creation of the netball and eventually other sports codes as Maori language domains. By targeting sports
with high whanau involvement, there is much potential for the up-take of such an app. One event that will be utilising
this app will be Te Puni Reo Poitarawhiti Tournament, taking place in May at Te Pae Courts, Waitakere.
Conceptualised by Eruera Lee-Morgan, (Senior Advisor Te Puni Kokiri) as part of TPK Auckland Maori Language Plan, the
development was initiated to increase the use of the te reo Maori in everyday whanau activities. Eruera says “This app
brings together te reo Måori with sports and the latest technology, it activates the reo in the sports domain where so
many of our people participate. This app will mobilise the reo in new and engaging ways”.
Te Puni Kokori is supporting Puni Reo Poitarawhiti, created by MyReo Studios – an emerging Maori digital company led by
Kawana Wallace o Ngati Uenuku, Tainui, Ngati Rangi, Ngati Tuwharetoa. Kawana will also be available at this years
Polyfest to demonstrate the app and other reo digital technologies of his.
If you require any further details regarding the launch of this new reo innovation or require more information regarding
the poitarawhiti Maori language competition, please don’t hesitate to contact Eruera.