Te pae kōrero | Our why

There are many things that define New Zealanders and connect us to our home: and te reo Māori is one of them.

Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to learn te reo and see it become normalised and spoken nationwide. Explore them below and share your favourites to inspire others to get involved.


Add your 'why'

Te reo Māori is similar to my mother tongue, Māori Kūki ‘Āirani. . . mou te reo, tuatua te reo, reo manea, reo na matou tupuna.

Maureen

My why - āku Tamariki. natemea ko tēnei tōku Reo Rangatira, he taonga tuku iho 🙏🏽

Sonia

Because it’s cool to kōrero!

Renee

This is our first year in learning Te Reo and we want to take it next level!

Kia pakari tōku nei reo - kia whakaora anō te reo kei rō whare

It's a key part of our nz culture and history and as a teacher I need to lead our next generation as best I can by using it and getting children interested and involved

I think it’s important to keep our culture alive and nourished. I want a generation where all people are encouraged to learn Reo. I grew up in a time where if you didn’t look Māori you weren’t and I had to prove my right to learn alongside my Māori peers.

Amanda

To keep our language alive. To normalize it for my babies

There is a huge need in our schools to provide opportunities to learn te reo Māori. We don't have enough confident speakers of reo Māori. We work with schools to provide these opportunities online. Te reo Māori and Kapa Haka are our most popular classes https://vlnprimary. school. nz/maori-classes/ We want to raise the profile of learning online and get support for more schools to access our expertise and grow their confidence and capability in te reo me tikanga Māori.

Rachel

I am a recent immigrant to NZ from the US. I am so happy to live in a country that is taking action towards delivering better outcomes for the indigenous population, and to normalize bi-cultural society. I want to make sure that my son grows up not knowing that there is any other way.

Christine

As a New Zealander, I am very proud of te reo Maaori, and I want to learn it.

Sujatha

I am currently a Tauira with Te Wanaga o Aotearoa so am encouraged to use Te Reo in all my situations

Robert

I live in Australia. When I hear people speaking in te reo or I see a Taonga around someones neck I feel at home. I want people to know who I am and where I'm from. I'm going to use Maori words proudly everyday and encourage my friends to use them too.

Rhys

I get too whakamā at work, in class and even greeting people on my morning walks. I don't need to be a reo master, I just want to feel comfortable enough in the reo and around other people to speak it. Ko te reo te taikura ō te whakaaro marama!

Joseph

I have a natural attraction to tangata whenua and their ways of being. It's been like that all my life. The knowledge, thoughtfulness, generosity and wairua deeply draws me in and I can't help but have a burning desire to uphold and preserve the language and heritage of Maori. They share a connectedness that my ethnicity will never know. Hence my passion and commitment to keeping all things Maori alive, acknowledged, respected, honoured and celebrated. There is much to learn still but I will be 1 in a million and 20 years from now I'll be 1 more speaker 💕

Cindy

Being an aspiring student in languages documentation, and with my partner being an essential worker in application to transfer to Aotearoa, I began researching the inspiring background of te reo Maori. The more I have learnt about it, -either in terms of its history or morphology, - the more I have realised this culture-bound language both anchors the country’s roots, and ensures its development towards a culturally representative future. It will be an honour to support this movement, however far away I may be in the world. At the end of the day it is our heritage that defines us and makes us who we are. Every single person has a right for theirs to be duly voiced and appreciated.

We should know who we are, what New Zealand is made of. . . its history and mana. I would like to take every opprtunity to push me to learn about Maori and its Te Reo.

I want to see Maori language rise and thrive in Aotearoa!

Whanau, whanau whanau ma Te katoa

Vicki

I am maori and I want to learn te reo.

Because language is one of the cornerstones of culture - because learning languages gives your mind another set of images to create pictures with - because sharing a language gives its' speakers a sense of, and a way to share Manaakitanga.

liz

He aha ai? Nā te tino hiakai o āku ākonga ki te ako i te reo me ōna tikanga te take. Ka noho Te Puna Wairua kei waenganui i te kura ō Tāmaki Primary he kura Auraki, kua kitea i ngā pouako i ngā hua o te reo Rangatiratanga me ōna tikanga kei roto i ēnei ākonga ahakoa kātahi anō i tīmata rātou ki te ako. kei te mōhio ngā ākonga inaianei ko wai rātou, nō hea rātou, he aha ou rātou hiahia.

Lee-Ann

I'm taking part because Te reo Maori is a beautiful language that is unique and special to Aotearoa, and I think new immigrants should learn some korero as well as all nz citizens. I'm learning later in life and while I wish I had learnt earlier, but better late then never. Karawhuia!

I would love to see te reo become compulsory in schools!

Becky

Te reo Māori is our national language, we need to keep it alive and well, I love the way the language is used in kōrero, and want to understand more of what I hear, and pass on to my mokopuna.

Kirsty
Alana

At our building in Molesworth Street we have He Tohu a permanent exhibition of the iconic constitutional documents that shape Aotearoa New Zealand. 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni — Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand 1840 Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Treaty of Waitangi and 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition – Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine. These documents continue to inspire the use and understanding of Te Reo Māori.

Rachel

That includes te ao Māori - and, of course, te reo Māori!

Annabel
Deearna

Our learning from our atua. So we can again appreciate our whakapapa again. Let people know it's ok to learn it, don't be afraid of what others will say. We are all learning te reo Maori that was once silenced but not anymore, that is why I want to continue to support my culture.

Cruzz
Sonny
Jude

For me, it is about the past, the present and the future. Connection, whakapapa. Knowledge of te reo and tikanga. Opportunities for my tamariki.

Leanne

Languages are the blood of a country - they tell us the story and also give us a peculiar worldview - if we lose a language is like losing special glasses to look at the world in a different way. We forget where we are and where we come from. I am not born in NZ and treasure my languge of where I am from (Italian and French) because they tell my story, who I am, in the same way I believe learning te reo brings us back to the 'source' of the NZ spirit.

Eleonora
Nick
Jason

Maori are te Tangata Whenua o Aotearoa as per Te Tiriti o Waitangi. I personally believe the success of all our future generations lies in our honestly embracing this truth, and as a citizen whose privilege it is to be born here and will one day die here, I can support this truth and our future generations with positive, informed action now. Learning Te Reo with 'The One Million' is a very good start. People marching in solidarity is a very recognisable part of our history, and this will be the biggest march I have ever been a part of. That is my why.

Tanima
Marisa

My children are proud to be Kuki and Maori. They love their culture, language and heritage, especially performing on stage. My 'why' is my tamariki. Although I am not of Maori descent I too love their culture and have learned te reo from a young in an informal setting. I now teach te reo but have a long journey ahead with my level of reo and I love that I can share this journey with my whanau. 3/4 of our tamariki are over 16 and we have 1 mokopuna but our baby is 5 and is at Te Wharekura o Arowhenua. He is so happy and is learning so much. My 'why' is my tamariki. My tamariki are my heart.

Junior

I come from a generation when "speaking Maori" was actively discouraged.

Doreen

In the past, educators actively suppressed Māori culture and language in the classroom, so now I believe it is our job to right the wrongs of past educators.

Molly
Honey

I want to be a part of the change. The status quo is not ok

Melissa

As a New Zealander, I feel really connected to te reo, even though I am NZ Pakeha and do not speak te reo. It is in our place names, our work, our daily lives and our culture. Kia kaha te reo māori!

Emily
Robyn
Susan
Geoff

Te Reo Māori is part of my heritage, if more people do not learn it and retain it, then it will be lost and our future generations will not know what the sound and speaking of Te Reo Māori are like. Most only know it in waiata and haka, but Te Reo Māori is more in-depth and poetical than what waiata and haka can bring.

Katrina

I want to be more confident and start using reo words as part of my everyday language

Alison
Jax
Sheri

 I want the next generation to be proud of their culture and their language.

Bridget
Margaret

I didn't always understand what they were saying on the paepae, but loved how my Pa would capture his audience's attention with his korero. Also loved seeing the other koroua dance around mimicking manu. . . I was intrigued and wanted to know why everyone would laugh at certain times. My dad would say he couldn't speak Maori, yet, any and all Maori words I didn't know, if I asked dad what it meant, he always knew. So I learnt, 'confidence and expressing kupu out of your mouth. . . really make a difference on your reo journey. There is so much more to learn from our reo, its opens a door to our Ancestors world view.

Oriana

It is very important to me as a Maori woman, and not knowing te reo Maori or understanding it, I want to encourage those in my mahi to learn with me. Not only because it's te reo Maori language week, but this is also an opportunity to be able to influence understanding of Tikanga within my work environment. While I have a strong understanding of Tikanga, I don't have te reo. We are a mental health organisation with a high percentage of Maori clients. I want my colleagues to use greetings in te reo everyday so it becomes a normal way to welcome all whom walk in our doors. Nga mihi Charmaine

Charmaine

If we don't do this, who will? The customs, history and waiata all have a part in who we are as a nation. Te reo is only one part of gaining and using the knowledge passed down in history that is unique to Aotearoa.

Carol

I am an elderly English immigrant and am learning te reo as a way of showing respect to the tangata whenua, as a way of acknowledging past and present injustices and as a way of learning about the traditional values of te ao maori which can offer so much to contemporary society.

Bernard

I want to be part of creating the Aotearoa I dream of for our children. Having a population where Te Reo Māori is widely spoken is an important part of that vision.

Amber

I was born in Aotearoa so this is a way for me to honour and acknowledge my birth place and people and to celebrate and thank those champions who paved the way so that te reo be taught in our schools.

Alisa

It is a natural part of the people, land, culture and way of life in Aotearoa/NZ. It is a beautiful, poetic language and I am on a personal, whanau and mahi mission to see it revived. Kia Kaha Te Reo Maori! !

Pip

I want rangitane Māori to feel pride and identity through their reo and to know their own beauty and worth, but for that to happen, we all need to value and kōrero te reo Māori

Fran

I moved from South Africa to the Far North town of Kaitaia in March of last year, and it has been a special opportunity for me to engage with different whanau in our community. I have been able to engage with and work in kura kaupapa environments and have been blessed by the manaakitanga shared in those spaces. Weekly I participate in Te Ātaarangi classes and it has been one of the best things I've done in the last few years. It's sometimes challenging but is always a joy to see how much I've gained from it. My 'Why' comes down to me wanting to be a good Treaty partner. For me this means participating in events in different cultural contexts; seeking to protect the Māori language as a taonga; and being a partner who is aware of the history of the last 180 years. Hopefully these are things my daughter will grow up to value as well.

Mikhail
Jennifer
June
Louise

To celebrate one of our three official languages in Aotearoa. This also follows on from our work around the New Zealand land wars and history of Aotearoa prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Tamsin
Ernie
Joanna
Tanya

I want to make my small contribution to making te reo flourish and take its rightful place as a unique and important language in Aotearoa.

Maria
Hazel

Learning a little te reo Māori is one way I can do that. Besides, I need to be able to keep up with my mokopuna who are learning so much in kura!

Kathy
Amanda
Peter

The whakatauki "Taiao ora, Tangata ora" if the natural world is healthy, so too are the people speaks to us and our team at Cucumber as we support the success of NZ Primary Sector. Te Ao Māori is all about people working together and that is captured in our team whakatauki Ehara taku toa e te toa takitahi engari he toa takimano. My strength is not that of an individual but that of the collective.

Ian

I work in childcare. At the beginning, I started learning te reo Māori to communicate with our whānau and tamariki. It started building up my interest so I took some lessons and going to take some more. I learned many Māori songs. I am very much excited to take part in it.

Varsha

Build staff capability. Share and learn together. Have fun!

Aroha

Just having time and interest to study language and culture becomes part of my world and people around you.

Peter
Natasha
Teaohou

After being disconnected from my my Māori whakapapa for so long, everyday I am trying to learn more about te Ao Māori and to kōrero as often as possible and to be more comfortable and confident in my Māori identity.

Maia

He Māori ahau. I tipu ake au i roto i te reo English. Nā wai te hē? Nā wai te whakatikatika? Ko te reo Māori tōku rongoā. Ko Tihi Puanaki tōku hoa pūmau.

Makao

As a kid in Scotland in the late 70s and early 80s, I was unable to learn my country's language or history - only English. As I got older, especially when I came to NZ, I felt so disconnected from my land and people. I am determined to be part of the solution so Māori people don't have to go through what I did. And it adds value to all of us as New Zealanders.

Karen

Te Reo is the indigenous language of Aotearoa. That is why we all should be speaking it. As New Zealanders, we have a responsibility to learn Te Reo. No where else in the world speaks Te Reo. It makes us unique and sets us aside from the rest of the world. We should celebrate that!

Ema

I am a kiwi, I was born and bred here in Aotearoa. I am not of Māori descent, however as a member of this community I consider it a privilege to learn the language of this land. I am a Cook Islander, if I went to the Cooks and people were speaking English instead of our native tongue our culture would die, and it is at risk now. I love the privilege of being tauiwi to this land, and believe that I can play my part by learning the language of this land and encouraging all NZers to participate. We will learn French and German in schools but not Māori? C'mon kiwis lesssgoooo, the haka is not enough - it envokes pride in us all, I believe the language will too.

Moana

I feel it is important to learn and to understand our language and our culture because as New Zealanders it is a part of who we are and what underpins our identity.

Annemie

Aotearoa has been the land of the Māori people for over 700 years. I believe it is my responsibility to acknowledge and respect that. My whānau have been "Kiwis" for four generations before me and it is past time to embrace a "kiwi" culture. "Kiwi culture" for me has to involve the speaking of Te Reo and the practising of the culture (ahurea) that has been part of this land (whenua) for centuries - guardianship of our land (kaitiaki) and caring for each other (manaaki) - cornerstones of a beautiful culture that places people (tangata) at the center. For me personally, Māori culture connects to me at a deep level, it simply feels correct, relevant and true. I encourage everyone to embrace it with an open heart and connect as one people with the tradition of this land that we all call home. My dream is for a country of diverse peoples who enjoy their own historical culture, but all share the historical culture of Aotearoa. As citizens of this land it is only proper that we embrace and reflect the first culture of it. Kia tapatahi, kia kotahi rā.

Carl
Vicky

At Te kura o Mangatangi we are working hard to normalise our precious taonga, Te Reo Maaori, in our classrooms.

Katrina
Jade
Helen

Te Reo lessons at work introduced me to the importance of connection. Learning my pepeha allowed me to focus on the unknown part of my ancestry, within this I found my paternal family. Te Reo has given me a stronger relationship to Papatūānuku and better understanding of who I am.

Dez Martin

I live in Ōtaki, where we do our bit to make create awareness of how proud we are of our whānau.

My culture is important to me as I'm multi-racial and learning about who I am has gifted me with a sense of belonging. It's about creating a solid foundation for myself and upcoming generations.

Lydia

I believe Te Reo is vital in Aotearoa. We have many place names in Māori and I like to hear them correctly pronounced. We SHOULD pronounce our place names correctly. Also the names of so many of our citizens are Māori, which again should be correctly pronounced. This is the first known language of New Zealand and we cannot afford to let it die. It is a beautiful language and we should Celebrate it. I would not like to see ANY language die, least of all this language from our land. Kia kaha ki te kōrero Māori.

Rosalie

Learning te reo Maori as a Pākehā born and bred in Aotearoa was a life changing and humbling journey. The generosity of my tutors at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and the whānau that I grew in my fellow tauira felt like a moment to treasure. In order for us to keep coming closer to difference I feel that as New Zealanders, whatever background we may come from, we should all make an effort to learn from each other and keep progressing forward as a bilingual nation. Learning te reo Māori not only enriched my experience when traveling around this beautiful country by being able to read te reo on signs but it also strengthened my connection with nature and my understanding of the Māori culture.

Bella

I'm proud to be of Māori descent. I'm proud of our reo, it is so humbling. I'm proud of Māori world views and how they make us Māori people. We are blessed to be surrounded by our Atua Māori everyday. We see, we feel them, we appreciate our Atua everyday. Mauri ora ki te whaiao, rapuhia to tātou Māori, hei whakanuia pai mārire.

Roimata
Nicola