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'

Nga mihi, To find oneself through The Ngahere Moana Maara connecting back to my tupuna alongside my Tamariki Tane growing and entering Te Ao Maori. Being able to go back to My Marae and standing proud for what i have achieved. Tihei Mauri ora

Paora

Ko te reo Maori te tahūhu o te matauranga Maori. He tamaiti Aho Matua kua tipu ake i te ao Maori nei.

Pania

Kōrero te reo māori is our taonga to use today . What ever stage we are, "Kaua e whakamā" a few words a day, a sentence a week all adds up. As a nation everyone has the right to learn to kōrero te reo māori. Let this be a goal we set for ourselves, pairs, groups, whānau, hapū, iwi katoa. Lets strengthen our people to "kōrero te reo māori", I will continue to learn because I love the sound, there is nothing in my world that is so beautiful than listening to te reo māori being spoken and conversed from one to another. . He taonga tuku iho, He kai o te rangatira. Arohatia te reo māori i ngā wā katoa. .

Pania

its important to learn the language relevant to New Zealand

Pamela

Kiwis should feel proud of their country's history! I am not of Māori heritage, but I'm thrilled that I was given tools in my schooling to learn more about the language. There are thousands who did not have the chance to learn (or did not want to take part when offered) - and I'd like to try and normalise it for those who may feel uncomfortable using phrases that are unfamiliar.

Paige

It's important to me because it's bout time I learn my language an teach an learn with my son

Paeroa

I am maori

Ollie

I have Maori ancestry that I feel connected to and I would like my son to have more of an understanding of his ancestry than I grew up having.

Olivia

We need to come together to keep t the Maori language alive. We are stronger together

Olivia

To celebrate and support te reo Maori, to learn and to connect.

Oliver

It's my birthright

Nova

I want te reo Māori to be recognised more and support it being used naturally in Aotearoa.

Eleonora

Because I live in NZ and I want to aknowledge the culture here

Nora

My moko are Māori and as a pākeha nanni it is my responsibility to keep up my own reo Māori skills for the future generation!

Noeline

I am very interested in learning some Maori.

Noah

I believe that it is important for migrants or children if migrants to learn about the culture of the country they have moved to. It forms a deeper understanding and connection to the indigenous people of this land - the Māori. I believe that we cannot continue to live on their land without paying some form of respect to their way of life and their language.

Noah

To keep the Maori language strong.

Noa

Important for me as a kid that went to kura kaupapa to continue my journey learning and teaching- to normalize Te Reo and invite everyone to speak Te Reo Maori too

Niwa

Kia whakamaumahara i ahau me toku whanau ki te whakamahia i te reo, kei ngaro pera i te moa.

Nina

Te reo Māori is our cultural taonga and by speaking it I support it to grow. Kia pai too raa.

Nina

cause my teacher says so

nina

The Māori language is rich and beautiful and expresses a world view that is and needs to be part of the fabric of our lives.

Nikki

Because I have children who are part Maori and I want them to be proud of their culture and have a bit more of an understanding for it :)

Nikki

I believe it is important to learn and speak Maori to get immersed in the culture and gain an understanding of where I come from. I believe sharing the Maori language enables us as a nation to show how unique New Zealand is and embrace our different cultures to do this we need to pass our knowledge onto our tamariki and help grow our nation.

nikayla

Keeping te reo māori alive

Nik

We're part of Aotearoa, of which te reo Māori is an official and spiritual language. . . .

Nigel

My daughter is Maori and it is important for us to recognize this and empower her to be proud of her history, her heritage and family.

Nicole

1. its part of my whakapapa. 2. tautoko my whanau, friends and tauira . 3. Learn more Te reo,

Nicole

Kia kaha tatou ki te korero ki te whakaako i te reo maori, kia ora ai te reo ki roto i a tatou ano. Kia whakamana te reo ki roto i te kainga mo o tatou tamariki

Nicole

I am part Maori and part Samoan, so I think it's important not to forget this so I can ensure my children are growing up learning their cultures also.

Nicola

Kei te hiahia au ki te whakapai ake i taku reo me te tautoko i te iwi.

Nicola

I grew up in New Zealand as a Pakeha, I learnt Te Reo through school, but I wish I alway knew more. Being a New Zealander means knowing that Maori is part of our culture. My nephew is Maori and I want to raise him up and support him any way I can

Nick

I am not Maori

Nicholas

I'm keen to support it, and good numbers will encourage others

Nicholas

Kei te ako tonu au i te reo Māori, heoi anō, ka marama au me tikanga, kaupapa, i te reo kātahi ka homai i taku whānau. Ko Taranaki te mōunga Ko Waitōtoroa te awa Ko Kurahaupō te waka Ko Taranaki te iwi Ko Ngāti Moeahu te hapū Ko Parihaka te marae Ko Nicholas John Te Pohe Coutts ahau. Nau mai haere mai ki a koutou katoa i taku haerenga, ā, he ako te reo māori

Nicholas

I am wanting to become more aware and would love to learn this beautiful language

Nicci

To promote Te Reo amongst my akonga and for them to see it as a language which can be used everyday.

Niall

The greater number of te reo speakers in Aotearoa, the greater the understanding between cultures here.

Ngawini

I want my the Māori language to live on for my generation and for future generations. I believe that 'Moment of Te Reo Māori' will be one of many great strategies that'll contribute to the sustenance of Te Reo Māori, and I want to be on in a million who speaks my native tongue, to ensure that Te Reo Māori will live on forever.

Ngawairere

Hei whakanuia i tō tātou reo Māori

Ngawai

Ki te hapai ki te whakarauora ai i te reo

Ngapo

To feel stronger, confident and belong.

Ngaire

My love for my hapū, marae, maunga, awa, papkāinga, tūpuna and whānau drives me. I'm putting my best foot forward and setting an example for my mokopuna and future mokopuna to follow in my footsteps. I dream that te reo Māori will one day become normalised within Aotearoa!

Ngahuia

Because I am Maori, I live at home next to my marae and under the shadows of my maunga.

Nelson

to show that I care for the Moari culture.

Nelly

My Grandparents were stripped away their right to speak Te Reo which then went down to my parents skipped me and now I want to make sure that my children know where they are from and who they are as being a Native to Aotearoa

Nekoda

Te Reo Māori is a beautiful language, unique to Aotearoa. I am so proud to be Māori and am on a journey to continually improve my reo. I want the whole of Aotearoa to be proud of our language, because it's not just the language of Māori, but the language of Aotearoa and all those who live here. I want to be part of a movement to eventually speak Māori at the supermarket, restaurant, gym etc and I truly believe this will happen.

Nathan

A way for me to connect with my home and fellow Kiwi's and learn more about the Maori culture and way of living. I love it!

Natasja

I want to encourage using te reo as everyday language. Every day is maori language day for me

Natasha

It is important for our tamariki to learn about an official language of Aotearoa

Natasha

To preserve the language and culture is important to me

Natasha

Te reo Māori is the language of our native people/ancestors which is important to keep alive. It is one of the most beautiful reo i know with amazing tikanga. . .

Natasha

"He Taonga Tuku Iho! ! Te Whakapapa o te Whanau Maori Katoa, Te Whakapapa o oku Tamariki Mokopuna. Nga Rangatira O Apopo… Kaua e ngaro te reo Maori. . . Kaore te reo Maori, Kaore te Whakapapa, Kaore te Pepeha, Kaore nga Takepu, Aroha, Whakapono me te Tumanako…. "He Kore anake" Mauri Ora Whanau! !

Natari

Recognising the culture of our homeland and shared history

Natalya

For my children, I want to role model the desire to live in a more inclusive NZ

Natalie

We are choosing to make te reo Maori more normalised in our school community where children are exposed to it on a daily basis!

Natalie

Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori. For my nan! Seeing her light up and the kupu return to her tongue when I started speaking the reo meant everything.

Nastassia

Who would have thought! ! ?? my great great grandparents were forced to believe the language would be a dead end street and I'm proud to stand here today and bring back something that is rightfully OURS! ! To all our passed whanau, This ones for you! ! ! !

Naomi

Keep our Te reo alive. So important to keep our culture alive we are one, beautiful and strong.

Nancy

Show the respect to Te Reo Maori

Nalin

Nā runga anō i taku raukuratanga e tika ana kia whai wā ki te kōrero, ki te tautoko i tēnei kaupapa

Nakoia

To help raise awareness for our language and culture

Myra

To keep Te Reo alive and to acknowledge our heritage, which includes this beautiful language.

Mylrea

It's important because we need to acknowledge and pay respect to Tangata Whenua. The people who paved the way for us to be in this land.

Muta

I want to be able to learn to pronounce places correctly and understand some of the meaning behind the names.

Murray

Learning te reo is important for anyone living in this land for it is the first language of te tangata whenua whose manaakitanga is the basis of all the rest of us being able to live here.

Murray

To be part of Aotearoa

Murali

Te Reo Māori is native and unique language focus on the inclusion. It is important that as a New Zealander we all learn and benefit from it. It help us to learn, communicate and integrate further in the society.

Muhammad

Mana motuhake o tatou Maaoritanga x

Mornz

Ko taaku me kōrero i te reo i ngā wā katoa hei aha te "moment" anake, kia kore rawa to tātau reo e mahue.

Montana

To be United by different civilizations

Monisha

My friends in NZ spoke to me about Te Reo Week. I like to take part in it!

Monique

Want to learn te reo and share it with family and friends

Mona

Māori is a beautiful language and is an important part of the kiwi identity and culture

Mohamed

its important to my DNA. . . . . . . its important to my whanau. . . . . . its important to my tupuna. . . . . . its important to me. . . . .

Moewaka

Because it is about keeping our language alive and connecting to our whakapapa

Moanaroa

Drive are nga tamariki, mokopuna tuatahi/tuarua.

Moana

Mō aku tamariki

Mitchell

Because we believe that language is the life essence and sustenance of a culture!

Michelle

My ancestors were leaders of the armed constabulary which invaded Parihaka in 1881. When I researched my history, I discovered they were fluent in te Reo ō Taranaki as young men, in the decades before the invasion. I want to remember.

Miriama

He Māori ahau

Miriam

Te Reo is our language, it is our heritage. True success will be a fully bilingual country; just as so many other countries across the world have their own unique language as well as English. It ties us to our roots, and shows true respect for the whakapapa of us all.

Miranda

Te Reo is what makes Aotearoa unique and it's a language we should all try to learn.

Milli

i want to leran more maori

Camilla

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jo

I have my own cultural ties and language that I speak (Welsh) so view this as an extension of my own responsibility and obligations to the language and culture of my adopted country.

Mike

Embrace our culture

Mike

I want to be part of the revival of te reo Māori and see the language thrive across Aotearoa.

Mike

I'm interested in the Maori langauge and keen to feel integrated with the culture in Aotearoa

Michael

ko Te reo Maori ki ahau he taonga. It is such a privilege to now lean my native language as I didn’t have the opportunity to do so growing up. I wasn’t as privileged to grow up fully immersed in Te ao maori but by having these awesome resources to enhance my reo.

Mikayla

As one of the official languages of New Zealand I believe it is important to learn the language

Mikayla

It is important for me to take part to celebrate the culture in my classroom sharing my knowledge with other kaiako and tamariki

Mikaela

To me its to keep the culture growing. So our kids after us know.

Mihi

Ko te reo kia rere - kia rongo i te reo Māori e rere tika ana ki ngā tõpito katoa, ao mai põ mai - tuatahi ki Aotearoa, tuarua ki te ao. . .

Mihi

Because I'm proud to be from Aotearoa and it's imperative that we learn to korero mai. We need to ensure we use te reo Māori and keep this beautiful language alive for future generations. It helps people to be connected, signifies the uniqueness of what it means to be a kiwi and helps us to understand deeper cultural significance.

Michelle

Because it's a part of our unique and collective heritage

Michelle

To further celebrate and strengthen te reo in our school.

Michelle

It is important for me to take part to learn connection and to be able to understand / speak te reo Maori when needed. We did it at school, but 30 years later, it is not something we recall easily any longer :(

Michelle

I have lived in several different countries, and always tried to learn some of the local language. After 25 years in NZ it is time to embrace te reo Maori

Michelle

I am an immigrant to NZ, and it would be very helpful to take part and understand the culture of NZ

Michelle