Share your why

Being Maori I would like to think that by speaking what little I know, here and there, that I am helping to get our Reo out in whatever space I am in.

Taryn - Palmerston North

Posted by Taryn Baxter · September 14, 2020 3:01 PM

Beautiful native language to my home country.

Taria - Kaipara

Posted by Taria Tane · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

As a maori this is fundamentally to feeling connected to my cultural identity and keeping my wairua full.

Tara - Tauranga

Posted by Tara Sellars · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

I have a bicultural family.

Tara - Hawera

Posted by Tara Linton · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

I want to take part because I want to honour our heritage in New Zealand and be the role model I want others to be.

Katrina - Christchurch

Posted by Katrina Bates · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

To continue my quest to appreciate my country and dive further into my education on Te Reo and Maori culture.

Tanya - Auckland

Posted by Tanya Allen · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

To give thanks and honour the people and language.

Tania - Whakatane

Posted by Tania Kingi · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

Its a beautiful language its part of who I am it should be compulsory.

Tania - Tauranga

Posted by Tania Brittain · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

It’s a beautiful language for all NZer’s to celebrate.

Tania - Tauranga

Posted by Tania Brittain · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

For myself, for my children and for NZ.

Tania - Kaikohe

Posted by Tania Harrison · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

Our people are still being suppressed today .

Tania - Helensville

Posted by Tania McCorkindale · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

I am a New Zealander and all of us need to understand and include Te Reo and and tikanga Maori in our lives.

Tania - Ashhurst

Posted by Tania Topping · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

So I know some simple greetings.

Tampy - Auckland

Posted by Tampy Bernard · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

It's our Mother language here in Aotearoa.

Tamara - Auckland

Posted by Tamara Grace-Tonga · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

Because it’s our culture, our heritage and so unique to this country and to keep it alive and thriving we need to nurture it.

Taina - Taupō

Posted by Taina Cooper-Fenwick · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

He taonga tuku iho.

Taigen - Christchurch

Posted by Taigen Luke · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

I am a maori wahine and I want to incorporate my culture and reo more into my everyday life and I think this is a great start .

Tabitha - Invercargill

Posted by Tabitha Luecker · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

As an immigrant to New Zealand, I want to show respect to the tangata whenua who have welcomed me onto the land.

Tūmanako - Auckland

Posted by Tūmanako Fa'aui · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

This is who we are not only as Maori, but Aotearoa as a whole.

Sylvia - Paekakariki

Posted by Sylvia Bagnall · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

It’s the indigenous language where I live, and a beautiful language.

Suzie - Wellington

Posted by Suzie Tingley · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

Taking part because the more familiar Māori becomes in the workplace, the more confident New Zealanders will become in experimenting, learning and embedding te reo in their daily lives over time.

Suzanne - Waharoa

Posted by Suzanne Farmiloe · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

Want to try to speak abit of te reo.

Susan - Christchurch

Posted by Susan Sparrow · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

I feel we all have the responsibility to keep this beautiful language alive.

Suri - Auckland

Posted by Suri Naidoo · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

I've never been taught my mother tongue or been encouraged to learn it, so it is wonderful to see Te reo Maori being promoted & revived.

Sunni - Auckland

Posted by Sunni Nathan · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

Keeping the māori language thriving and alive is important.

Sue - Otepoti

Posted by Sue McKane · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

To recognise our tangata whenua and encourage young children to value to Te Reo Maori.

sue - manawatu

Posted by sue manley · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

we need to practise what we preach when we claim to be a nation that has more than one language- teo reo is part of our everyday life it is everywhere we look and live and it deserves the respect of speaking and knowing it correctly and hearing it will build our nation to the best living organism it can become.

Sue - Invercargill

Posted by Sue Whitley · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

Maori language (Te Reo) is the language of the indigenous people of our nation.

Sue - Invercargill

Posted by Sue Middlemiss · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

I want to acknowledge the importance of the maori people.

Sue - Foxton

Posted by Sue Savage · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

It is important to recognise the official languages of NZ.

Suanna - Whangaarei

Posted by Suanna Smith · September 14, 2020 3:00 PM

Te Reo Maori is a foundational language of Aotearoa NZ, in fact, English has never become an official language by act of Parliament, only NZSL and TRM.