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'

All NZers should be bilingual,

Shelley

The team at Health Hawke's Bay feel it is important to celebrate the beautiful language that is Māori.

Sheldon

To be able to understand what is being said and to learn how to say words correctly

Sheila

To revitalize our reo Rangatira for our people and the next generation

Shayna

I would like to learn more about my culture and language. I think Te Reo is an important part of our country's culture and heritage and I think it should be embraced.

Shawnee

A beautiful langauage and culture that is part of our country and we do not want to loose! ka mau te wehi!

Sharon

I think it is vitally important te reo stays a living, active language in NZ

Sharon

To be a good Tiriti partner

Sharon

I am Maaori and citizen of NZ. I have been learning Te Reo for many years and want it to be around me more so that I can practise and use it every day in different settings. I am the school director, a teacher, a mother etc etc, therefore a role model.

Sharon

Link to live today. https://www. facebook. com/radiotainui/videos/381265333270314/

Sharon

As a school we want to support our tamariki, whanau & local iwi in reviving Te Reo Maori and helping our whanau to thrive through the language and stories of our people. We honour the battle and sacrifices our tupuna have made for us to continue speaking and breathing Te Ao Maori.

Sharise

te reo Māori is a beautiful language, and I hope it makes a massive resurgence in my lifetime

Shannon

It's a significant part of New Zealand's culture.

Shannen

I started my Reo journey at the beginning of this year. When Covid hit, studies became online only which was a new way for me to learn. Now with mahi being busy my studies have been put on hold. So taking part in this event will keep me immersed in the Reo

Shane

Kia whakaora ai te reo Māori i te ao Ōpaki :)

Shana

Learning Te Reo has been my goal for a long time. To keep our heritage alive.

Shakaiya

i would love to learn the language living in NZ. I am new in NZ and i love the local culture and would love to be a part of the community :)

Shaaz

I would like to understand whaikorero at the marae and speak with my whanau in te reo.

Serena

Love Maori language!

Selvi

maori

sebastian

Māori kaupapa is important to be a part of

Savanna

Maori is deeply rooted in its language, culture and heritage, people of this land. Maori is our national official language, so we should all celebrate and practice speaking Te Reo.

Kristin

As New Zealanders we should all embrace the uniqueness of Aotearoa.

Sarah

As a pākehā resident of Aotearoa New Zealand, I feel it is extremely important for me to play my part in honouring and uplifting Te Reo Māori in all areas of my life - be it my workplace, at home, in conversation, etc.

Sarah

It's such a lovely language and deserves to be heard more.

Sarah

Because it's part of our heritage as NZers.

Sarah

To protect and honour our past and future

Sarah

It's important to keep our unique culture and language alive. For the future generations.

Sarah

Māori language is such an import part of keeping Māori tikanga alive and thriving. I want to do my part by improving my knowledge of and practicing Te Reo. I'm definitely a beginner, but I love learning new languages so I'm trying to learn and little bit everyday & incorporate Te Reo into my regular korero.

Sarah

I enjoy speaking te reo Māori and I want my baby too also! I want her to understand how special it is to us as NZers.

Sarah

Coming from Ireland I strongly believe in the importance of protecting language as a part of culture. In Ireland there is a phrase "Tir gan teanga, tir gan anam" which means a country without it's language is a country without its soul. I want to do whatever I can to support the use of Te Reo Maori as an integral part of New Zealand culture. I have completed a Level 2 Te Reo course through Te Wananaga o Aotearoa and I enjoy using Te Reo with my daughter. Te Reo is used a lot at her daycare and many of her first words have been in Te Reo. I look forward to suppoting her to grow up having Te Reo as a natural part of day to day life.

Sarah

I am hapu at the moment and have a 20month old daughter. I want them to not only speak te reo in their everyday lives but also know their history and people. The blog post slug for this story is: sarah_-_lower_hutt_0fvi3mpwxji9rbk4q6d5ig

Sarah

Te reo Māori is so beautiful and important, I 100% support it!

Sarah

To grow Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa:)

Sarah

To say ‘thank you ‘ to a country that has welcomed my family and I.

Sarah

To encourage the students in my class to learn and speak te reo māori and make connections to their whanau and whenua.

Sarah

It is our obligation and as part of Aotearoa to commit to keeping this Reo alive. More personally my Nieces are Maori and I want them to grow up with Te Reo and not be ashamed to speak it and I want to be able to continue to communicate with them in this way and encourage them to be proud Maori wahine!

Sarah

Part of being a New Zealander, and unique to New Zealand

Sarah

The use of te reo was actively reduced, it must be revived because it is unique and integral to Maaori identity and wellbeing, and therefore the wellbeing of all.

Sarah

To promote Te Reo Maori use in our Kura.

Sarah

So we don’t lose the language

Sarah

I am a Pakeha, and the preservation of Te Reo is extremely important to me, because it is a part of our culture as New Zealanders.

Sarah

It's important that we support things that are uniquely Māori, and we would love to see our diverse team celebrate and normalise te reo Māori within our stores and communities

Sarah

I believe te reo Maori is fundamental to this land. I claim the title Pakeha with pride, because it defines me in relationship to Tangata Whenua of Aotearoa. The blog post slug for this story is: sarah_-_auckland_x1ir3g9jfhr-pp6g1e6quw

Sarah

To keep our reo alive & to connect to my own identity

Sarah

To better understand my culture as a New Zealander, and for my tamariki.

Sara

At my school, we are working hard at developing our Māori language skills and I am in full support of that. While I find it hard to learn a different language, I am in full support of what my school is trying to achieve. He pai ake te iti i te kore :)

Sandy

He Taonga te reo Maori mo te whenua o Aotearoa. Mo nga Maori, mo nga Pakeha hoki. Me ako tatou tenei reo ataahua.

Sandy

to be part of the movement of connecting myself and my whanau to learn understand and Loreto tatou reo rangatira

Sandra

To improve

Sandra

It’s a part of who I am, te reo Māori. It’s a part of who should be as a nation. Aside from the psychological benefits of bilingualism, it provides a sense of identity in us. It provides a beautiful language that incorporates all the bits of nature and humanity - something often missing from the English language.

Samara

I love t o learn Maori

Sam

Te reo Māori is part of Aotearoa where my home is.

Sam

Te Reo is part of our history, culture and what makes part of Aotearoa.

Sam

Kei tahi Aotearoa I te ao! !

Sam

As a child, I grew up around Te Reo Maori. I attending a Kohanga, took part in Kapa Haka, was in the bilingual unit, and studied Te Reo Maori. I took part in Nga Manu Korero, and was the kaikorero for powhiri, hui and other functions for my kura. Once I left school, and took on the big wide world, my involvment in Te Ao Maori became less, and there my Reo diminished. I'm taking part in this because I'd like to see our Reo be lifted again, as it did back in the 70s.

Sam

Because it is our national language and for too long it has been shoved to the side, much like the Maori people have been and I refuse to sit by and let such a beautiful language fall by the way side because of racist people

sam

Make sure my students understand the importance of te reo and the Treaty in their world

Sally

I am a migrant in New Zealand - moved here from India in 2003. My mother tongue is precious and important to me - and since NZ is my beautiful, adopted home, I want to be able to at the very least, speak and read at least foundational level te reo and immerse myself completely in my home.

Sagun

more self awareness and being respectful of other cultures

Sadhana

I recall how I had a spiritual experience when traveling here as a tourist 20 years ago, I was laying on the earth and spread my arms out, hands touching the grass, tears welled up and I experienced a deep connection to the land. This stayed with me and I eventually moved my life here. The Maori culture has many gifts to share that in my life have brought me closer to nature and my own heart. Anything that I can do to bring more Maori tikanga in my whanau's day to day is one step closer to an Aotearoa that I want to see. One that embraces, honours and respects the language and customs of Maori. It's time.

Sacha

because te reo should be thriving in Aotearoa and for our future generations it will! We are raising our children Bilingually, with my youngest i have only been speaking to her in te reo . Despite being non- maori te reo and tikanga are a really important part of our lives. i want them to grow up in a community who values, celebrates and uses te reo everyday.

Sacha

As a New Zealander I think te reo Māori is part of our culture, it feels only natural to try and learn the language!

Saar

we are ALL PART OF NZ.

s

It is our native language. It is a beautiful sounding language. It is innately kiwi and must be preserved.

Margaret

Te Reo Maori is one of the three official languages of New Zealand.

Rynesh

I am proud to be a New Zealander and want to learn te reo of the tanga ta whenua

Ruth

To keep the culture alive and honour our Tangata Whenua

Ruth

by learning any language, you get to understand how a people thinks, their history . . . I think it's important for all New Zealanders to learn te reo. . .

Ruth

Because it is everyone's responsibility to revive it after it was oppressed for so long.

Russell

matua ben christie

Russell

Joining in will make a difference.

Russ

Revitalising Te Reo Māori is key to maintaining our culture and it all starts with self

Ruby

I love Te reo māori :)

Ruby

I am who i am. I am proud to be. maori and I am proud to speak te reo as long as I have someone to. talk to

Ruby

To encourage others to use our native language To learn Te Reo

Ruby

My whānau + understanding of myself as a NZer and indigenous person :) For future generations !

Ruby

The language from my birth country is dying, I don't want the same to happen to the indigenous language of my adopted home.

Ruaridh

Most of the students in our class are Maori and it is importnat for me and them to make Te Reo part of our everyday so they can feel confident, strong and connected.

Roxanne

So my mokopuna will have her language accepted!

Rowena

To support the cause, to demonstrate that reo should be compulsory in educaiton. To support tangata whenua and better myself for my mahi.

Rosie

Upholding our national language is so important, its an awesome goal to participate in to encourage our nation Aotearoa to value, learn and use te reo as per Ti Tiri o Aotearoa. Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui!

Rosie

I think it is really important for Aotearoa to embrance te reo Māori

Rosemary

I have a grand daughter who is attending a kohanga reo in Whangarei and I would like to share or be part of her learning.

Rose

Because this is yet another wonderful way of honouring my culture and my whakapapa and tikanga. I want to show my children how important it is to embrace every opportunity to take part in Kaupapa Maori, as part of our life journey in knowing who we are.

Rose

Because as a teacher and parent, the best way I can support te reo in NZ is to engage with it and learn it myself.

Rose

As a new student teacher in Early Childhood Education, I believe I need to learn more in te reo Māori and its uniqueness to help me accommodate and understand more of the values and so that I can carry on teaching the simple plurals of te reo Māori. As a Cook Islands Maori descendant, I feel that it is important to keep teaching our mother tounges in our indigenous homeland so learning and teaching te reo Māori will help me in so many ways.

Rose

I have a few people in my family who are Maori and friends also.

Rose

To show the community how Te Reo is a fun, vibrant language and that leanring it can be as easy as one word at a time.

Rosamund

I love the language and believe it should be spoken more day-to-day. It's one of our official languages so we should all know the basics of it.

Rosalie

Because its a beautiful language to learn speak , understand and celebrate. Its a unique language that only we have here in Aotearoa so we are very fortunate to be the caretakers of it. Te Reo Māori is a living language.

Rob

Because te reo Maori is part of New Zealand Aotearoa. It is Maori language week. Because it's fun. Because it is important to know about the Maori culture.

Room

He taonga te reo

Rongomaitawhiti

It is important because it is ME it’s who I am

Rongomai

Self directed learning every day

Rondase

Korero Maori ia ra, ia ra, Ako te reo Maori, ia ra, ia ra I runga nga kura.

Ronda

It is important to take part as we should be proud of Te Reo as an amazing and unique langauge. We have a part to play to normalise Maori everywhere.

Ronal

The Maori people, their culture and language need to be part of “they are us”. I would like to contribute to this in a small way by being able to understand the language better as the culture is embedded in the language.

Romilly

te reo māori is the unique language of the Tangata whenua. I am not of here but I have been a guest for 26 years in this beautiful country. its something I should do to be a good guest

roisin

It's a part of who I am! Learning and speaking te reo has always been a part of my life and now it's time for me to share and teach others how beautiful our Reo and culture is.

Roimata