One kuia in Muriwai who had had all her hair cut off by a teacher for speaking Maori at school commented: I'm worried about what might happen to our Maori people. We haven't got anything left but our Maoritanga. There were very few people in these communities who were interviewed to whom Maori was not important. It was considered by many people to be vital to a sense of identity as a Maori person. As one person in Manutuke commenting on children learning Maori said, "it makes them feel Maori. " Another one said that "young people who don't know Maori are missing out on something."
Te Tai Rāwhiti | Gisborne | Tawhiti-Uawa | 1970-79 | 5% of Māori children can speak te reo. (1970-75) | Story is by tangata whenua
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