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 makes New Zealand, and New Zealanders, unique. I feel pride when I hear it spoken or see it used.

Jack

To enjoy the beauty of the reo. To honour a bicultural Aotearoa, to challenge myself to step into the discomfort of not being in a Pākehā dominant space/language and grow my ability to connect with others through te reo Māori.

Izzie

Because i think it's important to learn maori

Isabelle

Photo of me Graduating from Lvl. 2 te reo

Irene

Te reo is an important part of our culture and it is important that we strengthen our knowledge and grow it

Fiona

It is important to learn and share te reo with the tamariki and their whanau that visit the library.

Ingrid

INTERESTED TO LEARN TE REO

Indu

To teach my children the importance f learning Maori

Imogen

Ko te reo Maaori te reo tuuturu o ngooku tuupuna

Ike

As an immigrant I think it's important to learn about Aotearoa as I live here, and am hoping to become conversational in all 3 official languages.

Hyeon Joo
Hugh

Kia noho pumau to tatou reo ki tona whenua

Hoturoa

He waka eke noa

Horiana

Mo aku mokopuna! !

Hohipe

The blog post slug for this story is: hoana_joanne_-_kaikohe

Hoana Joanne

I love that NZ is a multicultural country but I also can’t help but feel ripped off when I hear other people speaking there language because I was never given the same opportunity. While I can speak Te Reo now I am still learning and I feel like some of my identity was taken away from me which I am slowly getting back through Te Reo education.

Hira

Te Reo Rangatiria has many lessons and insights for all of us. It is important to share these with our people and tauiwi. My organisation is largely non- Maaori, having an event like this raises awareness and gives a koha from Te Ao Maaori.

Hineatua

The importance is providing students knowledge and opportunities to learn Te Reo Maori even if it be basics.

Hineana

It is part of what it means to be a New Zealander. if we live here then the history is part of what we share.

Hilary

Mō tātou, ā, mō ka uri a muri ake nei.

Rahera

Mo aku tamariki

Anihera

Because it's is a part of me, who I am, that I have neglected n decided to attend to for myself n to make it relevant n real in my life now, not continue to put to the side to do one day. I'd like to demonstrate to my australian born mokopuna by speaking te reo around them n teaching them how beautiful our culture, te reo, tikanga, waita truely is by opening this up to them n speaking te reo to encourage them to know more.

Hera

te reo Māori lets me express who I come from and what I value

ria

E hoa, ko te reo o nga matua. ko te reo motuhake o tenei whenua. Kei raro tonu tatou te iwi maori e putu ana. He aha ke tena momo ahuatanga? Me whakanui te reo ka tika, hoino. Ta Himi Henare - "Kua tawhiti ke to haerenga mai kia kore e haere tonu, he nui tonu a tatou mahi kia kore ai e mahi tonu".

Hemi

It is important to me to take part in this journey as it will help me connect with my Maori roots

Helena

Because I live in Aotearoa, its where my heart is.

Helen

As an educator and New Zealander it just seems right that te reo Māori is part of my and everyone's language. I am taking part to show my support for such an important aspect of Aotearoa and our community.

Helen

The kindergarten community is committed to honoring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and continue to build our confidence and competence in using Te Reo Maori and ensuring te Ao Maori is incorporated into our programme.

Helen

Te Reo matters!

Helen

Because the Maori language is an important part not only for the Maori people but for New Zealand

Helen

It is important to me because we should all be doing our part to upskill and make te reo a part of our everyday lives.

Helen

To learn respect for Te Reo and continue our bicultural journey as a nation.

Helen

I am not a NZ by birth, but feel this will be lost if we don't promote it for the future generations.

Helen

Everyone can contribute to making Te Reo Māori a living language that is part of the culture in Aotearoa, so I want to be part of that.

Hedwig

This is part of my journey to use te reo in my everyday language & life.

Heather

Beginning to learn te reo is one of the coolest things I have done and with this knowledge my understanding of this place and the people who live here has grown It is exciting to understand what I hear on the radio and TV, at powhiri and on marae and I feel good when I can korero with other speakers - baby steps. Te reo Māori is the 1st language of Aotearoa, it is a beautiful language and it warms my heart to hear it spoken ia rā ia rā.

Heather

To support the kaupapa.

Heather

Language is a beautiful triumph of humanity. It should be celebrated and always used with care and compassion.

Heather

I think it’s important to enrich and celebrate te reo and the Maori culture throughout Aotearoa!

Hazel

My why. . . . To reclaim my birth right Te Mana tuku iho, no Mua ra ano

Hayleymay

I want to learn more te reo maori and pass that on to my tamaki

Hayley

Preserve language, develop a new habit and make speaking te reo Maori the 'norm'. Embrace and engage in new learning - personal growth! Without new learning we are going backwards. . . learning has to be a lifelong journey.

Hayley

I’m not sure

Harry

I want to have more of a connection to my heritage and culture and be a part of the drive to spread the growth of Te Reo Maori!

Hannah

To continue to promote Te Reo. It is important to nurture this language for generations.

hamish

because

hamiora

To continue to empower & affirm my language

Hamie

when I first came to school I had no care for learning moari but now that I've learnt that more then half my family can I want to be able to join in on there conversation

Hāmiora

There is a lot to learn from the Maori culture, language and traditions. I regret that Te Reo was not a required subject at school. My maternal grandparents spoke it fluently. My great grandmother only spoke Maori. It's a travesty that within 2 generations my whanau no longer spoke Aotearoa's native language.

Guy

We are a bicultural nation

Gus

Gotta keep this taonga alive.

Greg

Language is culture, and for the preservation of Maoriitanga it's important to speak. Maori is unique to NZ and a source of pride and interest for me as I live overseas. I've learnt another language and want to learn the first language of Aotearoa.

Greg

Further develop an understanding and knowledge of Maoridom

Grant

As a British born NZ citizen I am acutely aware of the history my people have in oppressing Maori in this country and I am committed to doing my part to keep Te Reo prominent and not losing the language.

Graham

Its really important because at 65 Te Reo Maori and to korero fluent Maori is a long held dream of mine. My journey is not easy because there is te kupu, sentence structures, and so so much to learn. Learning Te Reo teaches me about my personal confidence and what I think about myself and others and how I view the world. It has changed my perspective of the world I live in. It is an absolute taonga to be treasured. Ka nui te pai te reo maori. Kia Ora

Graeme

We are a bi cultural Kindergarten and we already speak te reo at our Kindergarten with our Kaiako, Tamariki and whaanau. Te reo Maori is a taonga to Maori and to Aotearoa and we want to ensure te reo is kept and treasured within Aotearoa.

Glenview

I need to keep practicing so I can remember my te reo as it part my life as a kiwi

Glenda

I won't understand te ao maori unless I understand the language.

Ginny

He taonga no oku tupuna, ma aku uri. Ko taku reo Maori, ko taku mauri ora, ko taku mauri tau

Gina

I've been learning some basics this year and am loving hearing Te Reo spoken more widely - I want to be able to participate but have been shy to.

Gillian

Over the years I have learnt a little te reo Māori, but without use it gets forgotten. It has only been in recent years I have made more of an effort to use little bits daily. I want to grow that a little more.

Gillian

I'm part of Aotearoa New Zealand and we're on this waka together. Te reo Maori is something to treasure and celebrate in our country.

Gill

kia ora as a pakeha new zealander, te reo gives you a deeper connection to this country te reo is a unique treasure -we need to help preserve it as a living language it is a necessary part of trying to repair the damage and injustices caused by colonialism

Gerard

I think it's important to recognise Te Reo Māori as an official language of Aotearoa and show respect for the principles of Tiriti o Waitangi. The Māori culture holds many lessons for other cultures who live in Te Ao Pakeha.

Gerald

Because language is a gateway to understanding a culture. It's time to correct past-wrongs when it comes to education and make te reo a part of everyday life for all New Zealanders.

Georgia

to keep te reo alive and be able to teach & speak with my children

Georgia

I think in order to promote the language and to not loose it, we need to learn and practice it. Young Māori people need to feel supported in their culture and as a citizen of New Zealand, we have a duty to help keep this language alive.

Georgette

A language stays alive when more people speak it and share it. It is respectful to learn someone elses culture, language and values.

Geoff

For me as a person and to learn and share the gift of my whakapapa.

Geneva

Because my children are Maori I am not but I want them to see and feel their culture all around them for their lives. To know that they are not a minority to know they are tangata whenua and to know they are valid.

Gena

To be United with Aotearoa and step up to join in and promote Te Reo Maori

Gemma

We really enjoy the Maori language and want to really use it in our school again and keep Te Reo Maori alive!

Gemma

Taku rourou, tau rourou kia ora te iwi

Gaylene

"Ka kohi te toi, Ka whai te maramatanga" If knowledge is gathered, entlightenment will follow

Gayle

Because I live in NZ, am a naturalised NZ citizen and Māori are the first people of the land & the reo is beautiful and foundational. NZ aspires to honour the Treaty, hopefully promoting biculturalism as basic to NZ culture is part of that, and bilingualism is necessary for truly understanding another culture, or becoming part of both/integrating both. I've learned that through living in different countries with different languages, that you can only really 'get' or understand things in another culture if you speak that language, at least to a degree. Part of Heidigger's notion of the inarticuable 'background' of ways of being - need to absorb them & being in the language really facilitates that tacit type of knowing or understanding. Plus, it's just the right thing to do.

Gay

I te mea he Māori ahau.

Gavin

The Maori language is our language so it’s import for all New Zealanders to learn and use to keep the language alive

Gary

E arohaina ahau i te reo māori. E ako au i te reo rangatira mō taku whānau, mō te mohio taiao, mō te whakapai i te whenua.

Gareth

It is a part of our history and our future.

Gareth

Te two Maori is uniquely New Zealand and it’s important that we continue the language and learning of the culture as a whole nation. I want to be able to use as much Maori language in my everyday life as I can.

Gabrielle

It's important for our children to acknowledge the Reo of our Tangata Whenua.

Fu'e

Te Reo is part of the history of this land, it is important to keep it alive.

Freddie

Kei te arohanui ahau ki ta tatou reo rangatira.

Frances

It wasn't until I read and understood the history of New Zealand and the devastating impact on Maori that I came to understand my own story and what I left behind because of my own dislocation. This language and culture enriches me in a way my colonial culture has failed to enrich me.

Frances

I’ll draw Maori stuff

Flynn

Reo is the language of Aotearoa

Florence

because i want to recognize the culture of the country i live in.

Floki

I'm pakeha but I want to help lift te reo back up, up, up to where it ought to be. I believe if we all have understanding of te reo and te ao maori - it will help undo some of the terrible consequences of colonisation. We ALL benefit, every single human in aotearoa.

Fiona

Because Aotearoa is my turanga waewae. Because in my work it shows Manaaki

Fiona

Te reo Māori is the first language and unique taonga of Aotearoa/New Zealand. It's vital we all help cultivate it and keep it alive. I can do my bit by learning te reo (currently doing a course through Te Wananga o Aotearoa). Plus, I want to deepen my connection and understanding of te ao Māori; te reo is a key to this. It's also important for my mahi with Te Papa Atawhai. Ngā mihi nui, Fiona

Fiona

To show the importance of te reo Māori to Aotearoa today. Nō reira e hoa mā te kōrero i te reo e ora ai. It is by using the language, it will live.

Fiona

it is important to learn te reo as part of being a NZer

Fiona

I tried some Te Reo lessons last year and really enjoyed the language, but not confident enough to use it in any real way. This is a great initiative.

Fiona

Te reo is important

felicity

Taking part in this conscious effort to normalise the use of Te Reo, celebrate the language, and not be afraid to give it a go is an important part of my journey to decolonise my world view, and unlearn a lot of the bias I grew up with. When I was younger I often felt too plastic to identify with my Maori heritage, but through starting to learn Te Reo I feel proud and empowered to keep learning more about my background, and to get more confident and build up a habit of using Te Reo in my every day life even if it's just through using Te Reo placenames, greetings and basic phrases to begin with.

Fea

To learn more about the Maori language

Faye

kia kore ai e ngaro to tatou reo. . . Akotia te katoa

Fay

Pūkaha is a National Wildlife Centre that was recently given back to the Rangitāne iwi, it is important to uphold Te Reo me ona Tikanga o ngā tipuna. He tono ki a koutou, nau mai haere mai, ka tirohia ngā toanga, ā Manukura (he kiwi mā), ā Kahurangi he Kokāko tino matatau. . . . . ā waea mai 06 375 8004 emara: info@pukaha. org. nz The blog post slug for this story is: everlyne_-_eketahuna The blog post slug for this story is: everlyne_-_eketahuna_0vuxwhlgd8amajs8cbcn2w

Everlyne

Because my father and whanau around me growing up were native speakers. Its not until know they are gone that I realize I had the resources.

Evelyn

Participate in a really important Kaupapa.

Evelyn