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'

What drives me is living in Whakatu where there is very little Te Reo Māori spoken, and wanting to see it spoken within my whanau and friend groups, and eventually seeing Māori language become as easy to use for me as English.

Judah

I wanted to learn Te Reo and Tikanga Māori so I can understand more about Māoti and pay my respect to the founders of Aotearoa and the first language of the country I was born in. The more I learn, the more I want to know. I wish I hadn't taken 50 years to get here but realise I was fortunate to have Te Reo Māori at primary school and to intermediate level in the 70's and early 80's. "Mehemea ka moemoeā ahau, ko ahau anake. Mehemea ka moemoeā tatou, ka taea e tatou. " "If I dream, I dream alone. If we all dream together, we can succeed". (Te Puea Hêrangi)

Leigh

Its uniquely ours. . . . . I procrastinated for years and now I feel like I am who I identify as

Hayley

I work in ece, and have found majority of tamariki Māori are attending english-medium services. Its important to me because if I dont increase my ability to speak te reo and connect with te taiao through a Māori lense, then those tamariki will miss an opportunity to connect and be exposed with their culture and language. I cant imagine what it feels like to be where Māori are currently, not owning their identity as Māori, if I can influence one tamaiti to learn and be proud to be Māori then I know I've done my job properly. Also I'm very passionate about te ao Māori me te reo me te matauranga so it makes sense to keep on going and to never give up.

Ben

Tēnā koe. Ko te Reo i te Reo tuatahi i Aotearoa. I kōrero ia tēra ranei i Aotearoa mō ētahi atu Waru rau tau. I mua kātahi ngā kōrero ā ngā waiata o ngā manu. Te Pūtea nō Tāne. Ngā manaakitanga me te whakaoranga o Papatūānuku. Ko ēnei te koha o Rangi rāua ko Papa, . He aha ako ai Te Reo? Kāore Māori. Kāore Māori toto. Ko Tararā ahau. Ko tēnei te kaupapa mō tōku haerenga i te Ao o Te Reo. Ko Mātiu Tarawa tōku Rangatira (Tauranga moana, Ngati Ranginui, Ngaīterangi, Tuhourangi). Ko Bruce Biggs, Patua Hohepa, Mermeri Penfold ōku Ahorangi me kaiako o te Reo. Ko Te Reo he reo ataahua. Ko te waharoa tomokanga rānei ki te manawa whenua o Aotearoa. Kōrerotia te Reo ia tangata, ia tangata, ia rā ia rā. Ngā mihi

David

It's our indigenous language (taonga) - good role modelling for my tamariki - I want to learn more.

Anna

I believe it is important to learn the indigenous Language and cultural practices of the land that we stand on 💚

Catherine

I've been learning Te Reo for 4 years now - attending weekly classes with a bunch of like minded people - both Maori and Pakeha. I love the sense of whānau we have created as we have been on this journey together. It's a long slow one for me but I am committed. While I am Pakeha, I am soon to have my first mokopuna in August. My kids are keen for me to make Te Reo Maori a beautiful part of my grandparenting. Te Reo Māori is part of our rich heritage as treaty partners. We need to keep the language alive and normalise it in our society. For me, it's a way of honouring our commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi and helping to undo some of the wrongs in the past.

Ruth

The world plays rugby football, goes to ballet, makes fine wine. Only in my country do we have Te Reo Maori.

Mikara

As a new migrant to this country (been there 3 years now), it's very important for me to discover and learn the tikanga and kawa of Te Ao Maori. I am so so so glad that New Zealand celebrates its origins instead of trying to wipe them out using Western culture. Learning Te Reo Maori is my way of contributing to this.

Tiphaine

It is important for me because my tupuna had the reo taken from them and I want to learn it for them, especially my greatnana.

Donna

It's a sense of belonging, part of who we are, it's a much calmer and peaceful way of doing everyday things, reo maori has whakapapa and purpose it has a higher understanding (kauae runga) where we action that purpose daily.

Tanya

When I was young My grandfather spoke Te Reo, I thought all grandfathers spoke the reo. I thought it was natural, I loved it. In the street we were told we were part of the tribe Ngai Tai we were told that we belonged. I thought I should learn the language I had valued I enrolled at school and learnt. My grandfather threw my books down and was exasperated, the transliterate words threw him. He said the language was describing not transliterate. My first lesson was about te reo irirangi describing sound on a radio. I was spoken to in Maori at school by teachers who knew my background but I was also chastised by those who thought I was out of line. My journey abrupted, I am white, My grandfather went to a small settlement when he was two. His parents were teachers at Torere (they are buried there) My grandfather learnt this language from 2 years old, his parents his whanau learnt this language and were integrated via whanaugatanga. My mother was part of the era that was told not to speak. For years I tried to speak to, learn, but I am white my story my grandfathers story is negligible, insignificant. My family has two cultures which cannot be appreciated by the outside. My grandfather had two cultures he lived Maori, he became a translator he was of two cultures and so am I but I am white and no longer belong. Sometimes being of blood is representative however some people like my grandfather are treasures that are forgotten. I would speak this language every day I just need someone who would not ridicule me for being white. Mary-Anne

Mary-Anne

Because Māori is who I am. My ancestors deserve to be remembered and commemorated! I wanna be better for my future children and grandchildren!

Micah

I started a course at Polytech this year in Health and wellbeing. It is very important to me, to build up my knowledge of te reo. I was very proud to give my first presentation last term, which started with my mihimihi, that I have memorised. This is the beginning of my te reo journey.

Julie

To increase my kete of knowledge.

Vera Moana

Kia tangata whenua anō ai te reo ki te arero!

Jack

It is important to be part of the Maori movement as I missed out on learning te reo when I was growing up. The reason for this was because my dad did not want myself and my siblings to speak te reo as he got a hard time for speaking te reo and did not want us to experience that.

Eve

I am a Pākehā mother of Māori tāne. It's important for me to learn te reo as it is part of their identity.

Tracey

I believe that we as a people have a good understanding of what has happened to us unfairly and under a oppressive way done to us by identifying ourselves as something we are not by someone who is not us, government to farmer, immigrant to school child, we must embrace and reward our true identity as gangsta whenua. Our identity is not one of colony before technology, we are one of Maori as maori in there own right a person a true nature of memories and love from true conciousness with the land and the sea. We are not what they say we are, but who and what our tupuna made for us. Encouraging the maori identity to be one again with our language and our land

Nia

Last year I studied Tikanga level 3 with TWOA and this year I'm studying level 2 & 3 Te Reo fulltime. I'm on my Reo journey because I want to be more involved with my marae and hopefully be able to help out our kaumatua on the paepae

Jahmarley

Kia ora I love the language, as I'm a Early Childhood teacher. I find that when I say simple sentences to the tamariki, they tend to respond better in te reo than they do in English.

Toni

I started my journey in 2011 & still on the journey, I love speaking & learning Te Reo & everything else that comes with that, starting L5 Te Reo course in July with TWOR and can’t wait 😝

Gina

To feel closer to my tipuna, to know myself.

Tash

It is important to me as it will empower me by giving me confidence in learning Te reo.

Miria

He wāhine Hāmoa ahau. I am married to a Samoan/Māori man and my daughter has a Māori name as well, Amorangi. My why is that I want my children to be immersed in the Māori culture so that they know their identity and so that I can learn more about where I live and the country that my grandparents immigrated to.

Eseta

Kia Ora! I’m learning te reo vocabulary so I can share it with my international students in ESOL class. This gives them a window into aspects of Maori culture and opens their minds to new ways of looking at the world.

Penny

I love te reo Māori, it is the language of my people and it is who I am. I love taking part in the Māori language movement because there is no other place in the world where people learn te reo Māori and it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure we preserve for future generations- Toku reo toku ohooho, toku reo toku māpihi mauria, tōku reo toku whakakai mārihi

Karleen

I want to embrace the culture of my adoptive country. I want to. That’s really all there is to it.

Michael

I’d often wished I had another language to share with my tamariki and there is and I just need to inspire them to appreciate te reo Māori too.

Marcia

For me it is about connecting to a perspective on life and learning that we know exists, but don't seem to make a lot of time for. I've decided to make time in my life. I look at parts of my life, social media, whanau, work and friends differently now. It also makes you more aware of how Maori must have felt when Pakeha first came on the scene. Weaving in a different perspective does take time and energy but it is so worth it.

Vanessa

In the 1970’s I was part of a group of educators (Maori and pakeha) who wanted to have Te reo introduced into the school curriculum. Phil Amos the Minister of Education was keen but for some reason it didn’t happen. At last it seems to be a bit closer and l’m enjoying seeing it’s wider use especially in the media.

Grant

As a New Zealander, I believe te reo Māori is important for all New Zealanders. We all need to take part.

karen

It's what is right, what my heart wants to do.

Chloe

Nga mihi mahana kia koutou, I wanted to briefly share my appreciation for your kaupapa. Its great just to get on and shoot the breeze with everyone. People are either way above my level of Te Reo or just beginning. I love the opportunity of sharing. Kia kaha tonu. Arohatia to tatou Reo, Me korero, ahakoa te korero.

Dawn

For much of my early life especially, I was penalised for being Maori and successful. Secondary teachers colonised me right out of the education system so I dropped out and went to work. Yep I taught them, NOT! I never gave up on myself, picked up my reo in my fifties, graduated from Social Work in my 60s and intertwine all that I am today and tomorrow. My reo continues to grow each day. . .

Dawn

Kia Ora, my journey in Te Reo began 18yrs ago when my middle daughter attended a primary school that labeled the classrooms in Te Reo numbers. My youngest daughter attended Playcentre which engages in the Te Whariki Curriculum.

Lorraine

for myself as well as for my tamariki and mokopuna. my journey is ongoing, scarey as well as beautiful I am 55 this year woohoo and my journey is emotional makes you think of who you are and where you came from x

Rosemary

Because its my whakapapa my right to speak my language without any problems.

Meri

My Tamariki

Cherise

It is a love movement - let's love on our country and hear this precious gift being used

Kate

I have always wanted to korero fluently in Maori. My mokopuna are now my motivation.

Sharon

I would love to go back to my marae and be able to understand what is being said, as a teenager i had the opportunity to learn te reo in highschool but i was not interested, now i have children and i would love them to learn as well.

Jessica

This is who we are and it's time to give our indigenous language a stronger voice. I am ashamed that in my grandparents generation, children were punished for speaking Māori at school. In my generation, it was barely acknowledged.

Anna

Its my turangawaewae who I am and where and I'm from

Rebecca

I struggled with my identity growing up being half maori and half euro/slav. I was a little white girl claiming she was maori so i got bullied alot from my own people as well, i got bullied out of kapa haka in intermediate for the same reason, children can be so cruel. It turned me off learning any reo as a kid because i was scared to be lynched by my own culture! Growing older that became a regret i really wished i told them to stuff it because i love my culture sooo much! Its who i am! I feel so lost and i know becoming fluent in reo will make me feel so whole!

Yvette

I left Aotearoa for 35 years and coming home, learning the Reo was the best way to celebrate the manawa of home.

Heather

My dad is Māori so i support him as in that culture. I love my dad so much. I love to be part of this because it teaches me everything in maori.

ua

Learning Te Reo is part of expanding my own culture

Nancy

Te Reo and Te Ao Maori are fundamental to all that we do here in Aotearoa. Everything is one. The people, the land, the oceans and all life. We must all honour and cherish each other and everything that we bring.

Andy

Maori is a beautiful language and ive always wanted to learn. When i hear people conversating in Maori i just love listning to it even if i dont understand, and i would love to learn it.

Samantha

Important to promote and keep te reo Maori alive.

Te reo rangatira e. Maori the chiefly language. Everyone should be taught maori at all levels in school.

Ray

It’s important for me to take part because growing up I never learnt Te Reo. Now that I’m older I feel disconnected and somewhat lost because of this reasoning. I want to learn so I can learn more about who I am really.

Kira

I've just had a daughter and more than ever I want her to grow up acknowledging her maori whanaunga. I missed out on it alot growing up and felt like I lost the right to identify as maori even though I cleary "look" like one.

Taryn

As an educator I believe it's part of my commitment to the Te Tiriti o Waitangi to korero mai and play my part in making the reo visible and valued as our national language. It is also important to me as I watch my wife struggle with her identify as a māori woman having be dissociated from that part of her culture and heritage. I would also love to be able bless my tamariki with the gift of the reo.

Jamee

Because Te reo Maori is an important part of NZ

Sophie

It so is important to be apart of this kaupapa because Our Reo Our Te Ao Māori was taken from us . . . We missedout on being taught in fear that our kaumatua mokopuna will be scorned and beaten. . . So. . . This strategy is the WAY TO REVITALIZE TE AO MĀORI, TE REO RANGATIRA for our Pakeke who missed out and especially for our tamariki mo apopo. . . TUKUA KIA RERE . . . Also this gives the opportunity to teach our work colleagues. You already have the video that i helped make. SOUNZ (Toni Huata) Be coolies for a pack of Masks btw😂

Kelly

I'm a kiwi, Te Reo Māori is an official language of my country, yet I can't speak it. I want to learn more, I want it to be compulsory in schools (I wish it had been for me), I want to be able to speak to my wahine Māori clients (I'm a midwife) in te reo if that's what they feel most comfortable conversing in.

Charlotte

I have for years ignored my tikanga because of the lifestyle I inhabited I cared little for my Whenua at a young age and now in my 30s have realised I don't know myself because of this. I'm still trying to learn te reo myself (I will be fluent) but In the past 8 months I have done research (on my own and with whanau) about my iwi (te atiawa) and I'm finally watching our culture grow in so many ways. I will never go back to my ignorance and will always put my name down for anything that I see as educational to myself and to our Maoridom. Nga mihi 🖤

Levi

I love languages and having migrated from Malaysia 3 years ago I think you should know Maori to live in NZ. And hopefully by speaking the language there will be more respect and understanding for the culture and it's people. I am super shocked by the amount of racism Maori people here receive, not juz by Pakeha but also the immigrant community!

Lindah

I want to hear te reo maori being spoken everywhere, not just at wananga and kura. So if Aotearoa can get to one million (hopefully more than that) speakers of te reo then I think that could actually happen, to hear maori in everyday conversation and in any and every location throughout Aotearoa

Kelly

I never got the chance to know my roots my culture outlet te reo I wann be able pass that on to my children

Kristin

Naaku tamariki. Naaku whaanau. Naa te anamata. To ensure our future generations continue to grow te Reo Maaori so all New Zealanders Maaori and non Maaori can speak te Reo but also appreciate the culture

Liz

Promote our beautiful language.

David

It is who we are!

Hemi

Want to continue my hikoi into te reo and understand more when at the pā, and for e tama mā.

Emma

To strengthen our identity as tangata whenua in Aotearoa and to share the beauty of our reo

Natasha

Because I would love to teach the up and coming generations of what I was taught from my tupuna

Kura

Whilst I am not of Maori descent my husband and baby boy are. I want to honour them and their whakapapa by raising our boy with a knowledge and understanding of his culture and language. I wonder what New Zealand would be like if more people, who like me, had culturally diverse families back and would have stood up for their beautiful Maori family members and their right to live their culture and use their language. So I am standing up for my husband, my boy and all of those who were discouraged to embrace and take pride who they are.

Laura

My taua never got to speak te reo Māori, so I will for her.

Emily

Supporting growth in culture

Vali

I was born in NZ and I feel that it is essential for us as a nation to embrace our culture, learn Te Reo, learn where and what we are. When I was younger Te Reo was taught in my school then it stopped and I wasn’t sure why and I feel sad and ashamed that it happened and I feel that every Kiwi regardless of nationality should learn Te Reo!

Vanessa

To feel connected to my culture and Te Reo. To korero more and learn more and fill my Kete. Loving the hype this week and discovering meaningful whakatauki.

Joanna

I was born in NZ and I feel that it is essential for us as a nation to embrace our culture, learn Te Reo, learn where and what we are. When I was younger Te Reo was taught in my school then it stopped and I wasn’t sure why and I feel sad and ashamed that it happened and I feel that every Kiwi regardless of nationality should learn Te Reo!

Kristin

Ko tōku reo tōku ohooho Ko tōku reo tōku māpihi maurea Ko tōku reo tōku whakakai mārihi Ko te Reo Māori te mana o tōku ao

Norbryn

I want to learn my culture

Robert

So I can help my son to grow and learn about his Maori heritage and for him to be able to speak to his family.

Simone

I feel now is the right time for me to start my journey. I've been talking about it & wanting to do it for years, but other life choices meant that I put the idea on the back burner until now. The time feels right for me. I want that connection with my whanau, my ancesters and whakapapa. I want the confidence to stand up in the front of my Iwi and korero in Te Reo Maori, which I always wanted to do instead of feeling embarrassed. I want to show my children that its not to late to learn our native language, to keep taking on challenges and keep learning.

Dean

Because being Māori is a huge part of who we are, and what makes New Zealand what it is. We need to bring it back for the generations that are walking around as half of themselves because they don’t know where they belong, and bring it back for future generations to be the best of who they are. There’s so much more I could go on forever but that’s the first thing that came to my mind at this second.

Kaylajayne

Māori language is one of New Zealand’s treasures and an exciting new language learning adventure!

Lane

I want to be able to eventually be a speaker on the marae to represent taku whānau.

Hetz

As an Early Childhood Teacher in training, it is so important that we uphold our bicultural curriculum and ensure the Māori language not only survives but thrives.

Kester

Learning te reo helps me better understand my own culture and feel my place in my culture, a belonging.

Natasha

Because I've lived in countries that push down the first nations cultures, and I don't want that to happen here. I want to help Maori culture shine. I also love the culture and language and would love to be able to understand it when it's spoken or written!

Kyreena

Our culture and our language is who we are. If I can help to support a language from becoming lost, I will. Plus, I love the language and have friends who are fluent, I would love to converse with them in their language.

Deborah

Because I've lived in countries that push down the first nations cultures, and I don't want that to happen here. I want to help Maori culture shine. I also love the culture and language and would love to be able to understand it when it's spoken or written! The blog post slug for this story is: kyreena_-_auckland

Kyreena

New Zealand is home, and what more can make me feel closer to home, is learning the language. Te Reo Maori feels very special to me because it always makes me feel connected to the history and nature.

Marina

Since we are living in New Zealand, and Maori is one of the 3 official Languages, everyone should at least know how to say Kia Ora or Tena Koe, so they have the basic's of Maori done. I am also part Maori so whenever I go to my Marae, everyone around me talking in Maori so I really want to be able to understand and speak at the least a sentence in Maori.

Marie

As a young New Zealander I truly think Te reo Maori is a big part of New Zealand, because without Te reo what will New Zealand be? We would of all been colonized by the British and te reo maori would have been forgotten. Even though I may not be maori that doesn't mean I can't represent or take part in something so big for New Zealand. I once heard someone say Te reo maori brings the iwi in kiwi. I decided to take part in Te wiki o te reo because I didn't want my countries culture to be lost and forgotten. Thank you

Lisieni

Because I wan't to learn more about Te Reo.

Flynn

So That it is and Will Always Be Passed Down Generation to Generations

Christopher Teaohou

Language is the bridge to ones mind and soul. To better understand a culture, learning its language brings more depth than just descriptive words on paper

Inoke

I want to be a part of the change, not the problem. I think Maori culture is an important part of being a New Zealander and that it should play a much bigger role in our daily lives, not be locked away or kept out of daily aspects of life. I think doing is what keeps people on the fringes and normalising Maori culture would make a huge difference in making a more diverse and inclusive community in New Zealand.

Abby

Kia ora my name is hola i am tongan and the reason why i want to take part because i want to learn te reo maori hopefully i convinced you that i could learn te reo maori thank you for listening.

Hola

Because I believe in reclaiming the language that was lost. I believe it’s important to have better understanding and relationships of why Māori do what they do from their ancestors and the true history is also important. It’s confidence building and instills belonging, traditions and sharing. And it’s unique! My friends and children speak it, so would good to be more confident in responding. There are new words evolving since I started over 30 yrs ago and a lot more resources and speakers it’s fantastic! Tino rangatiratanga

Jody

Because I am proud to be Maori. I will join any kaupapa, that supports our culture. KIA ORA! !

Boone

Because I'm a New Zealander, and through learning the language of my tangata whenua, we learn about te ao maaori, tikanga maaori, and how to care for us as a country in regards to our environment, and other treasures, like the hearts of all of the people.

Gabrielle

I’m hopeless with learning any language, but I don’t want my kids to be like me. It’s good to become part of NZ’s history and heritage; I don’t want my kids missing out because of my lack of knowledge.

Chantal

Te reo Maori is a beautiful language that to me is an important part of our identity as a country. It describes the land and therefore connects us all more deeply with it, with our indigenous community and gives a sense of belonging to, not just in, the land.

Katie