At the time of the linguistic survey nearly three-quarters of the adults over 25 living on Matakana Island spoke and understood Maori well, while more than half the people under 25 did not know the language at all. English was the main language spoken in the home. As English was also the main language of radio, TV and newspapers, some people thought that Maori could easily die out. However, now that concerned groups on the island have decided to do something about this situation themselves, it is almost certain that people will have greater opportunities to learn Maori in the community, school and home, and get to know the language better. The people we spoke to were keen and willing not only to do what they could to stop the decline of the language but also to bring back Maori as a language for everyday use in the area. However, if these efforts are to succeed they must be backed by the local school and by more support from people in the Bay of Plenty region generally.
Source: Read the full NZCER report here:
Te Moana-ā-Toi | Bay of Plenty | Western Bay of Plenty | 1970-79 | Story is by tangata whenua
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