Most people we spoke to in Opunake, especially the kaumatua, were worried that fewer and fewer people knew or spoke Maori. Many adults said they were sorry that they could not speak or understand Māori. It was only now as parents that they were beginning to see the cultural importance of the language for themselves and their children. Many people therefore, wanted Maori taught in schools, and some adults were already taking part in language courses in private homes and elsewhere in the community. Others thought it was too late for them to learn Maori, as the only people who spoke the language in Opunake were the very old, and even they spoke Maori mostly at hui on the marae.

Source: Read the full NZCER report here