"Many people were worried that because so few people could speak
Maori in Waitara the language could die out altogether. As
English had already replaced Maori as the main language spoken
in the home and community, some people gave it little chance of
staying alive. Most of the adults under 45 could not speak
Maori well, and so could not teach it to their children. Some
parents were learning the language at night school or on local
marae, and were trying to speak Maori more often in the home.
Others were happy to let the schools start teaching the children
Maori - in fact many people wanted Maori taught, especially at
the primary level. "
Source: Read the full NZCER report here
Taranaki | New Plymouth | 1970-79 | Story is by tangata whenua
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