Minister welcomes Māori Language Week
Maori DevelopmentMāori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell has issued a challenge for the 42nd Māori Language Week which starts today.
“Use Māori Language Week to make a change in your life that lasts well beyond the week,” Mr Flavell says.
“No matter what level your te reo Māori is, everyone should be able to think of a change they can introduce to their own lives to support more Māori in our communities.
“It may be as simple as saying ‘Mōrena’ every morning or saying ‘kia ora’ instead of ‘thank you’. Be brave and give something a go.”
The Minister says te reo Māori becoming more of a living language throughout society was an aim of Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori (the Maori Language Act) 2016.
“Te Wiki o te reo Māori is a great reminder of this aim to speak and support our language so that it may be heard everywhere and all the time.”
Mr Flavell says a #kōrero pin released recently as part of Rotorua’s celebration of becoming the country’s first bilingual city also contributed to that aim.
“The pins are for people who want to illustrate their support for te reo Māori and who wish to use more te reo Māori in their daily lives.
“Whatever one’s fluency, the important thing is our willingness to support and breathe life into our indigenous language.”
Mr Flavell says a special edition silver #kōrero pin will be released as part of Te Wiki o te reo Māori.
“The theme for Te Wiki o te reo Māori this year is Kia ora te reo Māori and I would love all New Zealanders to use that as an inspiration to include more te reo Māori in their own lives.”
Additional information
Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016 summary
Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Act) 2016 was passed by Parliament April 2016.
It is in te reo Māori and English and is New Zealand’s first law with the Māori text prevailing as the language of law.
It states the Crown’s commitment to work in partnership with iwi and Māori to actively protect and promote te reo Māori and established Te Mātāwai, a new entity that will lead te reo Māori revitalisation efforts on behalf of iwi and Māori.
Mahuru Māori: 1 – 30 September
On 1 September the third Mahuru Māori began. Mahuru Māori encourages te reo Māori speakers to speaking Māori for some or all of the month. More than 600 people have formally registered to do Mahuru Māori and more than 1,000 connected on Mahuru Māori Facebook page. Mahuru Māori was pioneered by language expert and advocate Paraone Gloyne. The initiative is run by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Mahuru Māori Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/mahurumaori/
Māori Language Parade: 11 September
11am, Monday, 11 September, Cenotaph, Lambton Quay, Wellington
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – Māori Language Commission are encouraging all groups from the public and private sectors as well as universities, wānanga, schools, kura, play centres, early childhood centres, kindergartens, kōhanga reo, sports teams, groups, kapa haka, marae and hapū throughout Wellington region to join the parade to launch Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week 2017.
http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/events-and-promotions/hikoi-whakangahau-mo-te-reo-maori-en-nz/
Te Atakura o te reo Māori: 13- 14 September
Celebrating forty five years since the Māori Language Petition was taken to parliament, a two day symposium celebrates the petition’s signing. https://teatakurasite.wordpress.com/
Moana Reo Māori
Release of Moana movie in te reo Māori.
https://www.facebook.com/moanareomaori/