I recall my mother saying she was told that ‘the Pākehā way was the only way’ from her parents and her school teachers so I didn ot grow up valuing its true importance. I’ve learned just how important a taonga it truly is to our people and as a white woman with whakapapa (WWWW) I do my best (which isn’t always as progressive as I’d like it to be) to honour my tūpuna and my Ātua by using te reo whenever I can. I want to normalise it’s use in my workplace, which inhouse is predominantly pākehā but our ‘customers’ are predominantly māori, some who have come from a similar place as my mother and others who are completely immersed. I’m privileged to have a wide range of opportunities to learn and teach, Akonga!!!