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'

It's so important because I am Maori, can't be no other

Evelyn

Im maori and trainging to be a teacher at te wananga o aotearoa . . this is my native tongue learn it speak it snd share it

Evangeline

Respecting and understanding Aotearoa's culture and history better!

Geneva

To honor New Zealand history and inhabitants

Eugenia

It's an important part of being a New Zealander - it's an imporant part of who we are, our history and I want to acknowledge that a lot more. . .

Eugene

Te Reo Māori koia nei tātou taonga

Ethan

I would love for Reo Maori to be more common in NZ

Etana

Kia whakarauora te reo rakatira, mā te hāpori, mā te reo ā waha, me te mea nei te tipu o ngā tamariki i waekanui te reo e kōrero ana, mo ngā reanga e whai muri. Because it is really important to us to revitalise Te Reo Māori, for it to be everywhere in our hāpori and to be a normal thing to hear and use so our tamariki grow up using it, treasuring it and sharing it for future generations.

Erin

I wish te reo Māori was taught more when I was at school and I want my children to experience it authentically at home and in school.

Erin

It is important to me because I am a proud New Zealander and Te Reo Maori is something that on only everyone in New Zealand should have some knowledge of and appreciate but it is also something this is unique to New Zealand.

Because my teacher is making me. and being in New Zealand mean i have to embrace the Maori culture

Eric

This is important to me for two reasons: 1. We owe it to our tupuna who came before us and who ONLY spoke in reo Māori like my great great Kuia Nanny Te Aue Hohepa nee Tanguru 1890 - 1972 featured in the image who couldn't speak English. Through the impact of colonization, so many of their tamariki, their mokopuna, our elders were swept into te ao Pakeha forced to believe our reo taonga was of no value to use or to feed to the next generations in order to survive let alone thrive in te ao pakeha. 2. We owe it to our tamariki, our mokopuna who need us to lead the way in being part of the movement of restoring and normalizing our reo Māori once again. He reo rangatira, he reo taonga, it is part of who we are, who we come from and where we need to grow. Our past, our present, our future. Mauri ora!

Erena

Mōku ake kia ora te reo mo ngā rangi e haere ake nei ahakoa te aha, tipu ake ahau i roto i te reo māori nā reira e tika ana kia noho ko te reo māori hei tuāpapa māku ao te pō, pō te ao. Whakatinanahia ko te reo māori me ōna āhuatanga katoa! Mauri! ! !

Emma Te Rangi

I want to work as an educational psychologist. I cannot help all children equally if I do not know enough about their culture, or make them feel welcome in my room.

Emma

I want to tautoko the revitalisation of te reo Māori and address the current imbalance of the position te reo holds within everyday life and mainstream media. Te Reo Māori should be in supermarkets, cinemas, cafes and restaurants etc but not just seen - spoken too. People should be able to order and be served in Māori at any establishment in Aotearoa. It is the indigenous language of this country ascwellas an official language but it is not currently treated by all with the mana it deserves. The revitalisation of te reo Māori is not just a māori problem, all citizens of Aotearoa have an obligation as treaty partners and the te reo cannot thrive unless we are all on the waka. I hope to see more Pākehā like myself learn te reo and recognise the role they play.

Emma

It's important because this is the only place in the world, in all of te Ao, that we can speak, learn, sing and play in te reo Māori. My akonga and I are super excited to be part of the reo moment at 12 and we've signed the rest of our kura up as well! Kia kaha te reo Māori!

Emma

I’m a sixth generation New Zealander living in Aotearoa. It’s important that papatuanuku is protected, the manaatikanga is upheld and my children appreciate, love and look after the beautiful culture of Maori

Emma

I think it is important for me to sign up because it should help me learn about my culture and language.

Emma

Because I think, Te Reo Māori should have more emphasis on it and used more commonly and widely across Aoteroa.

Emma

Te reo Maori is one of the things that makes our country so special and unique, it's our super power we just have to harness it and all make an effort to learn. I love learning along with my kids, they pick it up fast and help to teach me things. We are just beginning but every step counts.

Emily

Because my teacher said so! !

I want te reo to be a proper language in New Zealand

Emily

As someone born and bred in Aotearoa I want to take part to do my part in learning and connecting with the culture of my country. Culture is directly linked with the language so it would be enlightening to learn more and understand the hearts of the tangata whenua of Aotearoa.

Emily

Its important because our language is dying and we need to keep it alive. I wish to learn more and be able to teach my children, my mokos, so on and so on! Its important because I didnt grow up learning Te Reo, but I embrace it love it breathe it.

Emery

Every moment starts with a single thought, a single act by a single individual. We all have a part to play for ourselves and with others.

Emelita

I love singing and tu Teri mai nga iwi is my favorite song

Elspeth

To feel connected to the Tangata Whenua and to support others in their journey to be more culturally responsive.

elroy

It is important for me because I am French and I decide to come and live in New Zealand and for me te reo Maori it is the first language of the country and I should be able to speak that language and knowing the history of my new country

Elodie

I've recently migrated to Aotearoa from Australia, and felt it was important as a new arrival to learn/educate myself in Te reo Maori and the Maori culture. I feel like I can't really be part of this country until I have a well rounded understanding and knowledge of the traditional owners and their journey.

Shelly

I’d enjoy learning more everyday phrases in te Reo. Kia Ora and Ka Pai is just not enough

Ellie

Connecting with my culture

Ella

Some of my family are part of the Maori community and I would like to join in this important project to increase the use of te reo Maori. The best I could do at the magic Moment - since I was sitting outside a Wellington cafe - was sing along with the Tutira Mai Nga Iwi link several times through. What a nice thing to do though!

Elizabeth

to continue my learning my husband is a fluent speaker & I am still learning I love it & my passion is raranga

Irihapeti

As a kaiako - I feel it's important to take part and teach our tamariki to understand the importance of Te Reo Māori. The more we speak Te Reo Māori - the more normal it becomes in our everyday life.

Elizabeth

I appreciate connecting with others on such an important and inspiring take, which provides another way that I can learn and grow my knowledge.

Elisabeth

When I moved to Aotearoa pakeha culture felt foreign to me, and intuitive as it asked me to leave my culture at the door and embrace more traditional British values in order to be accepted. Māori culture welcomed we with my whole baggage, celebrating my tikanga e whakapapa. Diversity enriches us all. Moving Aotearoa toward being a real bicultural country will enrich us all.

Eleonora

There are many aspects of Maori culture which I find very inspiring, and learning the language brings us all closer together.

Eleanor

We have been living in Australia since 1985, our four children were young then, which means our grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren are foreign to their te reo Maori, yet their wairua within tells them otherwise. I’m all about leaving legacies for our children’s children and so forth, that we can always identify our roots and who we are as children of God, no matter where we plant our feet to reside. I love my reo, my culture and my Maori’ness, although we were not taught to korero Maori or understand te reo, it’s never too late to learn.

Eleanor

I had a little Te Reo Maori education at primary school and attended some Te Reo Maori classes in my early 20s. Now in my early 70s I would like encourage my young grandsons to be more confident than I am to use Te Reo Maori.

Elaine

So that current and future generations do not lose this important heritage - language defines the people - who they are and where they have come from.

Elaine

To show an interest in keeping te reo alive and being used daily in New Zealand

Elaine

find it interesting to learn a new language.

Eileen

I have been trying for some time to learn Te Reo and have been involved with several Zoom lessons. I do not learn languages very easily so am continuing to try.

Eileen

Kia ora, It's an important part of our heritage and well being as a nation that is maturing, and te reo is a beautiful language. Edward

Edward

My Maori ancestry and culture is important to me and I feel that some historic wrongs need to be reconciled as much as possible i. e. the strategic effort to wipe the Maori language completely back in the early 1900's. Our language is our identity.

Edward

It is important because it is the language of Aotearoa. We need to use it, respect it and emerge it into our lives. The more we use it, celebrate it and hold moments like this - The more we will learn and grow together as people of Aotearoa.

Eden

As a Canadian that migrated to Aotearoa in 2013, I took part in a journey that integrated te ao Māori and from there was inspired to integrate it in my personal life and responsiveness for the way I worked.

Edelrose

To acknowledge, show understanding of and continue to implement Tikanga in a real way.

Ed

Hidden post

I don't want the language to die

Pete

i am am te reo maori and i want to bring the language to life so everone knows what it is

Dylan

To keep Te Reo alive.

Dylan

Because te reo Maori is important to New Zealand.

Duncan

Big picture: I support the renaissance of te reo Māori as a form of redress and respecting Māori as tāngata whenua. Selfishly: my wife and kids are Māori.

Duane

Because I want to learn more about my culture

Dredyn

My boyfriend is Māori. And I’d love to get to the point where I could have a conversation with him. Its a surprise

Dorita

I support the kaupapa of Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori and am encouraging myself to start on this learning journey.

Doris

Te reo has a crucial role to play in Aotearoa New Zealand's identity

Donna

It is important to acknowledge the diversity that exists in Aotearoa.

Donna

Im proud to be Maori and want to show that to my collegaues

Donna

To be a participant in a worthy endeavour that facilitates a survival strategy for continual use of Te Reo as an everyday language in Aoateroa

Donna

It is Important to me to incorporate Te Reo Maori in my everyday life conversations, because it is everyday part of Our lil family, Our Mokos are surrounded by Te Reo Maori and it is my choice to participate as best I can. to help me and also help Our Mokos.

Donna

I had just explained in the last patai but will explain again. As my tamariki and mokopuna are Maori I feel it is important to learn Maori reo especially that my moko are in Australia and dont get to be here with us to embrace our culture. I always send them books, posters etc so they can learn the basics. Its not much but its a start. I encourage work collegues to learn the reo also with having words or phrase each week to use in our every day language.

Donna Lee

From my early adult years I've valued the bicultural principles that have were agreed as the cultural basis of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Alas the reality hasn't kept up with the reality, but hopefully we are seeing a change in understanding and behaviour that is important for Maori, Pakeha and i hui katoa nga tauiwi nei ki roto.

Don

Te Reo is such an important part of Aotearoa's past, present and future. To me, part of fostering the present and future, and supporting my Maori brothers and sisters is normalising Pakeha using Te Reo in everyday life, so other Pakeha can see it as normal and something they can get involved in, rather than separate, or just for Maori. Maori should absolutely be the kaitiaki of Te Reo, and Pakeha should feel like they can and should support that.

Dominique

I love the Maori culture and it is part of my wife's family heritage and therefore part of me too.

Dominic

Its Maori language week

Django

I work with children and I believe the children should know and recognise the National language of this country. Te reo is part of our curriculum and to be able to take part in the moment will enhance our knowledge about the Maori language and culture. The blog post slug for this story is: divya_-_auckland

Divya

Acknowledging my tipuna & keeping our very essence alive. Being proud of who I am & where I come from.

Dione

It is a privilege and pride to be a Maori speaking Kiwi!

Dinesh

Maori is party of our countries heritage.

Dianne

Because it is one of New Zealand's national languages and we cannot afford to loose how precious it is to New Zealand.

Di

My generation missed out on learning te reo Maori as it was not valued at the time, therefore it's important to promote and encourage te reo as an everyday language in Aotearoa. Eventually the reo will be accepted more widely by the community as I am observing more and more.

Diane

New Zealand, Aotearoa, it is so important we know our roots, where we started, our Maori is SO important to the vitality and who New Zealand is. It is our culture it is who we are (I am pakeha, but am so enriched because I am a kiwi who from birth have been grateful for Maori and the learning of the land etc - I am 51 years old and its important for now, the future). It is so important that we bring up Maori as the forefront of this country - it is why we are special and we need to embrace.

Diana

I'm tgaking part beacaue Te Reo Rangatira is the cheifly language

Diana

My heritage is the Khoekhoe (or San, Khoisan) - the indigenous peoples of South Africa. Currently, the government refuses to even acknowledge my whakapapa as the country's first nation's people and their struggle for recognition continues. In the absence of this recognition, the language is all but dead, spoken by only a handful of people. Living in New Zealand has made me more aware of my own heritage and the importance of its preservation. However, working for a Māori organisation for 8-years has brought that realisation to the fore. If there isn't anything I can do for my own whakapapa, then I want to be sure that I am contributing to Te Reo Māori and Tikanga Māori in any way I can. Mā pango, mā whero ka oti te mahi.

Deva

I have just completed level 3 Te Reo and want to share this with others

Desiree

Whakanuia te reo!

Dennis

Our language is one of the ways we pass down Cultural stories and Māori myths to our younger generations. I want to show my tamariki that it is an important taonga that should be protected and by speaking & singing Te reo Māori in our everyday lives we do just that.

Dennis

Te Reo is part of our nation's heritage.

Denise

I am a New Zealander and believe we should be a trilingual country (Reo, Signing and English)

Denise

Ko te reo kia rere

Denise

As I have grown older I have slowly grown in understanding of the awfil damage done to Tangata Whenua through loss and disrespect of Te Reo. I am trying to play a small part in making things right Sorry! I'm not able to take photos or record. But I'm committed.

Denise

I want all New Zealanders to learn and hear te reo Māori spoken everywhere.

Denise

I recognise we are a bicultural nation and so want to try to embrace some of the Maori culture. As a New Zealander Maori culture is kind of part of who I am. I have friends and family who are Maori so I want to understand their culture more. I have a good working relationship with my local Marae.

Dellwyn

to better understand the commonly used terms

della

I want to do my bit towards the country's goal of revitalising the language.

Delia

I would like te reo Maori to be spoken more by us all in everyday life

Deirdre

We are a multi cultural country and te Reo is one of our official languages. We should be interested in learning it. It's what makes us unique. I know I will never be fluent but I love to learn words and drop them into my everyday conversation. By doing that it recognises I am a New Zealander and I am proud of the culture and heritage we have available to us.

Debbie

We are forever on our learning journey with Te Reo Maori and tikanga practices within our early childhood environment.

Debbie

being a non fluent speaker makes me feel like I have lost something, some expressions in te reo Maori sum up ideas way better than the words in English, they explain the maori perspective as well, the link between the way the words have more than one meaning is something non maori speakers don't get, its like missing the punchline of a joke, if you have to have it explained its spoiled. I want my mokopuna to speak fluent language, my grandson didn't know that kai was the maori word for kai, he just thought it was the word for kai, i want that for all the words. In his classroom he was searching around for the new maori word for kai.

Debbie

To support te reo Maori as a unique NZ language important in retaining Maori culture

Debbie

We are learning about community and the NZ culture of Maori is part of our community

Debbie

Language is a connection to home and a sign of respect to culture

Debbie

As a teacher, the urgency of engagement with Te Reo Māori is one tool at our disposal to support Māori learners to achieve success in the context of being Māori. This is the very tip of the iceberg but making a start is important.

Deb

To normalise Te Reo Māori and showcase to others across the world, what a beautiful culture and language we have as Māori.

Deana

We want to acknowledge how important and special te reo maori is

Dawson Falls

For the tamariki I look after.

David

Te Reo is part of New Zealand's heretige and should be spoken by all.

David

I think it is vital for NZ to have a strong Maori culture and for Maori people to be positively represented in all parts of society.

David

158 years ago a boat load of my ancestors arrived in NZ from the UK. Their crops failed and they would have starved to death had it not been for the kindness and the generosity of the local Maori. I am here today because of them. I am not Maori but I feel the Maori culture is part of who I am. I respect and support their traditions and want to help these to thrive and become more mainstream in Aotearoa. Lastly I want to become less self conscious when talking in Maori.

David