Over half the people in the survey had been punished for speaking Maori as school children. The main problem facing the people of Te Hapua, Te Kao and Ngataki was to keep up the ability to talk with each other in Maori. Although the language was still widely used in these communities, especially among the kaumatua age group, and in marae ceremonies and religious services, many people were worried for the future of Maori among the younger members of the community. Less than 10 percent of the school children spoke Maori fluently, and, although a third of them could understand the language well, another third did not know Maori at all.
Te Tai Tokerau | Northland | Far North | 1970-79 | 5% of Māori children can speak te reo. (1970-75) | Story is by tangata whenua
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