The Maori language was highly thought of in the area, and was,
therefore, the main language spoken in the home and community by all age groups. Several non-Maori speakers who had married members of the community found that they had to know Maori if they wanted to be fully accepted by the community, and had learned the language from their husbands' families. Most people from the Tawera district spoke both English and Maori and were very proud of it. Some people, however, suggested that there was a growing number of people making greater use of English in the home and community, and they blamed this on television which is entirely in English. However, nobody seemed to think that English was going to replace Maori as the main language used in the area.
Te Moana-ā-Toi | Bay of Plenty | Whakatāne | 1970-79 | Story is by tangata whenua
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