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'

I am part maori and I support all maori events. I am and have been learning te reo maori for many years, having gone no further that beginners class. I love kapa haka and have often been the group leader in many songs. This is why I am looking forward to joining in the celebrations on this day. To korero, waiata and whakarongo.

Hinerangi

Mainstream Education in early childhood education needs the opportunity for more Kaupapa Māori. Ko tēnei te wawata o ngā Kaiako ki te whakapiki i te mõhiotanga o te so Māori ki roto i ngā ora tamariki mokopuna.

Charles

Because if our language was never taken away from us I wouldn't need to be one of the one million

Talya

I am proud to be Maori and encourage my tamariki to use the reo they have and to be proud of our heritage. Its important to participate in positive activities that everyone of any level can participate in.

Maria

To make the use of te reo a more every day thing - I want my children to learn better than I did.

Natalie

We actively promote te reo Maori every week of the year and especially during Maori Language Week. Te reo Maori should be an integral part of our day and we want our tamariki to learn correct pronunciation, to use te reo confidently and to keep building on their knowledge.

Allenton

I am currently 28 weeks pregnant and it is important to both my husband and I that our baby is raised around Te Ao Maori. We are lucky enough to both work on the Marae (husbands) and baby will be raised in and around the Marae. We want our Whare to be a bilingual speaking Whare.

Tatiana

I live in NZ I should know enough Te Reo to at least get by!

Heidi

Its good to know the basics of Maori language as most of the people in our care are Maori. So knowing the langi=uage helps us to know their cultural background better so that we can beter interact with them.

Solanki

Diversity in language and culture and respect for all people is important to me!

Jacone

I want to promote the importance of Te Reo to all NZers

Paula

Because everyone needs to join in so te reo Maori can thrive

Catherine

There is so much beauty in Te Reo Māori - I'm really keen to learn much more!

Leyla

I think it's important for every New Zealander to learn and speak te reo, kia ora ai te reo mō āpōpō. I'm also a public servant, and this is an important part of Maihi Karauna

Kristin

We are wanting to improve our Treaty Partnership, starting with improving our Te Reo and Tikanga

Don

Want to teach te reo to my tamariki

Terence

We think that it is every child's right to celebrate and enjoy Te Reo.

Meg

I've just become a citizen of Aotearoa - I think it's important that I can understand and communicate in the official languages of my new home, and especially te reo Māori as it something unique that defines and sets us apart as a nation.

Andy

good for speaking in te reo and whanau

Haylee

To understand

Zane

To hold on to our culture, traditions, history as maori. grounding, connects me to my roots, self expression, teach my decendants

Hayley

To gain greater understanding of te au Maori and be more responsive

Fiona

To learn more about the history and people of our land and show respect by learning the language

Katherine

Its very important that we take part, we need to be diverse and embrace Te reo Maori as in defines who we are as a people and if we encourage all New Zealanders to not be shy and learn it helps to unite us even further. In Hawaii no matter what ethnic background I interacted with in every single store or person I met greeted me with Aloha , Mahalo. I wish one day that New Zealand will also follow , its good for tourism, its a good way to be. I crew plan to show the Aroha next week and encourage Te reo Maori

Elizabeth

Maaori is the Native Language of Aotearoa.

Sam Toka on behalf of

We had always been aware of our responsibilities to this generation of children of Aotearoa in regard to Te Reo. Our commitment was deepened by one very special bi-lingual teacher, Whaea Tina, who initiated the foundations of Kapa haka with teachers and children. At this centre children, teachers and whanau embrace both Kapa haka and the tikanga in which is it embedded.

Horiana

For my whanau To grow and embed te reo in my pre school school

Katie

I think cultural identities are important and we, as a nation, have a collective/common culture that includes te ao Māori. I like to think I am an advocate for my Māori (and Pasifika tamariki) and what to empower them in their cultures.

Nina

My sister is a Maori teacher and she encourages me to participate in any activities or hui in my area.

Brea

Kia whakaputa ai ahau i taku tautoko mõ tõ tātou reo rangatira😊

Te Angihau

RIP Global is a New Zealand based Maori technology company. We want to continue to showcase our culture and our commitment to advance Maori within the technology sector. In addition, we want to continue to embody our people culture of 'he tangata' as we are all about our people. We have a culture of inclusiveness and awareness and we wish to continue our education and knowledge of tikanga. Sharing our experiences is how we learn and appreciate who we are and where we come from.

Waimarie

We always celebrate te wiki o te reo māori and this is a new and unique way to be involved.

Teresa

It is important for me to expose our kids to te reo Māori as much as possible so that they may have pride in being Māori and and be proud of our iwi/reo taketake.

Ruiha

Being māori is why it’s important to me

Te Mare

Because we need to keep the language alive It is an official NZ language Its the language of the tangata whenua Learning it young kindergartens age is a great place to start

Bellevue

I have a deep respect and love for the indigenous people of Aotearoa and want to take part in promoting and expanding the beautiful culture so we can learn more.

Samuel

Kia rangona e taku mokopuna te reo Māori e rere ana. Kia tipu ake ia i roto i te reo Māori.

Maxine

We are a team of dedicated teachers who provide bicultural practices in our kindergarten to strengthen Te Re Maori among our tamariki and celebrate Maori language and culture within our kindergarten community.

Rowena

Because speaking te reo should be as natural as breathing for the tamariki of Aotearoa.

Lynne

My children have the honour of being quarter Maori and I would like to learn alongside them so we all gain knowledge and insight to this part of their culture

Ines Burzig

It’s our partnership, Aotearoa’s official language,

Viv

To understand more about Maori culture.

Aurelio

I am passionate about my culture. I have always been envious of my family/ friends and colleagues who are able to speak te reo fluently and admire there courage of learning. I have begun my reo journey by studying. I have a goal to become fluent in te reo the reason being is when i have my own children/mokopuna i would like them to know who they are, their whakapapa, to be able to speak their own language with whanau and also be proud to be maori.

Baye

I see it as my responsibility as tangata tiriti.

Alex

Because te Reo is our language, and we should all speak it to some extent. I would like to see it used more frequently in conversation, and I want to learn more about Māori concepts as they relate to our world so I can adhere to them in my everyday life.

Kay

To learn more about the language and culture and the meaning behind it.

Viv

I only moved to Aotearoa last year. I think it’s important for every new kiwi to learn as much as possible about NZ’s culture, and what better way to do so by learning te reo māori!

Frank
Ruth

Mo a tātou tamariki mokopuna te take x

Tania

Te Reo should be spoken in New Zealand as much as English. I encourage those in my workplace to use Te Reo and practice as much as possible. Māori culture is our culture, is us. We need to be better.

Ashleigh

I'm taking part because! Te reo Maori is a beautiful language that is unique and special to Aotearoa. I think new immigrants should learn some korero as well as all nz citizens. I'm learning later in life and while I wish I had learnt earlier, but better late then never! Karawhuia!

Kristin

I'm taking part because! Te reo Maori is a beautiful language that is unique and special to Aotearoa. I think new immigrants should learn some korero as well as all nz citizens. I'm learning later in life and while I wish I had learnt earlier, but better late then never! Karawhuia!

Kristin

I'm taking part because! Te reo Maori is a beautiful language that is unique and special to Aotearoa. I think new immigrants should learn some korero as well as all nz citizens. I'm learning later in life and while I wish I had learnt earlier, but better late then never! Karawhuia!

Kristin

I think it is important that we recognise and our tamariki recognise the value in speaking te reo maori.

Cathy

I believe that there is a part of me that is connected to Maori. I have been wanting to learn Maori and your language to understand more of my missing part.

Cindy

Te reo Maori is us, all of us. Te reo Maori is beautiful, it carries our home spirit, our soul. Like so many my whakapapa is huge mix Maori with European; Ngati Manu hapu, Nga puhi iwi, English, Scots, French & German. I am so grateful now to have more opportunities & encouragement to use te reo Maori, even though my skills are just learning. This is something that is important to me because I want turn around the shame & punishment my grand & great-grand parents received - which made them stop speaking te reo Maori. Ngaa mihi nui for giving me the opportunity and focus to do this.

Debbie

Because Te Reo Māori is part of being a New Zealander, part of this land, part of the people.

Karen

I'm taking part because! Te reo Maori is a beautiful language that is unique and special to Aotearoa. I think new immigrants should learn some korero as well as all nz citizens. I'm learning later in life and while I wish I had learnt earlier, but better late then never! Karawhuia!

Kristin

Because as a young rangatahi our language is dying and we need to try and keep it living on for our future generation

Paea

I'm taking part because! Te reo Maori is a beautiful language that is unique and special to Aotearoa. I think new immigrants should learn some korero as well as all nz citizens. I'm learning later in life and while I wish I had learnt earlier, but better late then never! Karawhuia!

Kristin

Although I am pākeha, my nephew is Māori, and I want to do my part in ensuring te Ao Māori becomes embedded in the NZ culture.

Sharon

The importance of my participation in this kaupapa is ensuring our reo stays alive. Sharing my knowledge with my tamariki at Kōhungahunga and celebrating our culture through waiata of our iwi, Ngāti Uenuku.

odette

Te Reo is our language and we all need to get behind keeping the language alive. I work for Corrections and feel it is important that I grow my knowledge of Te Reo and Te Ao maori in order to be more effective in my work with Maori. And also " it's a beautiful language and culture"

briar

Working with rangatahi maori, we embed culture in everything that we do and recognise the importance of Te Reo as well as the missing connection present for many of our rangatahi.

Tori

I grew up knowing that I had some connection to the Māori culture but didn’t know how deep. I’ve been isolated through fractured relationships with whanau that has prevented me from knowing my whakapapa. My why is ko tōku reo ko tōku ohooho. I linked in with an amazing kaiako to start my journey of learning our ataahua te reo and break the whakama of knowing very little of our culture. I am proud to stand as a Māori tane connecting with my whakapapa and understand the sacrifices of our tūpuna who fought for us to koreroreo! He waka eke noa! Mō ahua, mō tōku hoa wahine, mō tōku tamariki!

Ben

I have been in Aotearoa for almost 10 years. Although my reo Māori journey is still going far more slowly than I would like, it has benefited me greatly by helping me connect to incredibly rich Māori concepts and culture. My tamariki were born here and I want them to be able to join me speaking te reo Māori when they are older so they can have that same connection.

Miriam

Part of our history, present, and future.

Sian

Morena, My main why for wanting to learn Te Reo is because this is the language of our tipuna xxx I want to be able to korero to our whanau and help teach or share with anyone who is intetested. I feel the way we express our emotions in Te Reo goes deeper than using english. Nga mihi

Matekino

I want to know more, I want to be part of the culture of this nation as a bi-cultural kiwi

Jacquie

To show that you don’t have to be whakama about learning the language. Where ever you are in your journey, you not alone! ! ! Kia kaha Te reo maori! ! !

Ami-Jayne

As a pakeha kaiako I value and recognise the importance of building a passion for Te reo Maori with our learners.

Michelle

Tena koutou Maori language learning and speaking has my full support my message is in English because I would like to encourage non speakers of Te Reo to learn There is a ton of resources available on line I find YouTube helpful learning in your safe space is a great start, I encourage speakers of Maori to be kind and correct people in a kindly way. I hope your reo journey is going to be enjoyable and enriching Kia Maia koe be persistent and patient you will get there Kia ora Meng Foon

Meng

Heritage, tradition, pride and so we don't allow the language to be lost for future generations.

Alicia

Very simply. . . . . . . . It's cool to speak Māori!

Hugh

My journey with te reo Māori is helping me understand my own identity as Pākehā. The deeper the journey, the more important I realise te reo is for Aoteoroa.

Marcel

Empowering whanaungatanga, whanau and tamariki, making connections with whakapapa through manaakitanga and Ako

Delwynne

Te reo Māori is the language of our whenua. They are inseparable. I love Aotearoa, and for me using te reo is an expression of love for this whenua. It is a gift, a taonga carried by our Māoritanga, and part of our kaitiakitanga. Strong reo; strong whenua; strong tangata.

Jamie

I am a new resident of Aotearoa (from Australia) and I believe that it's my responsibility to learn the original language of the nation. But also, te reo is so beautiful that it's for mere pleasure as well.

Kath

I want to be able to raise my children to be bilingual but mainly to pass down the stories of our whakapapa and culture.

Nick

I want to be part of the reo revitalization as it is one of our many sacred taonga

Rory

To be able to effectively communicate with my patients. This builds better rapport with patients and will give them a sense of being included.

Kristin

Because we cannot afford to lose te reo - otherwise who are we without it? We all have to play our part in scaffolding around success. Plus. . . it is such a cool language why wouldn't we want to learn / speak it! !

Helen

Learning more about Te Reo is good for all of us - to understand and to honour.

Steph

Te Reo Māori is the indigenous language of Aotearoa and it is our responsibility to maintain this as a taonga tuku iho.

Troy

As a 4th generation Pakeha, I have finally reached a place where I feel as if our Māori heritage IS my heritage to an extent also. And in that case, I am embracing the opportunities to learn and speak as much as I am able so that in my role as a kaiako I can 'normalise' this heritage as part of life in Aotearoa.

Deborah

To practice and encourage others to give it a go

Michelle

Because we are part of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Janet

I believe Te reo Māori is what connects people to the land and environment like nothing else - if we can reconnect with our land in a deeper way maybe we can begin to reverse the damage that has already occurred to our country.

Cara

1. He mea whai tikanga mā tātou te hunga whānui e tukuna te reo kia rere 2. Ki au nei, kei te āhua māngere au ki te korero e ia rā, nā tērā, kā timata taku pukenga ki te korero ki te hemo. 3. Ko te tumanako, ka māia taku korero I te reo P. S. whai mai i toku whārangi TikTok @araperataiapa, ki reira ka rekoata tāku haerenga I a Mahuru Māori 😁

Arapera

I can express myself freely in English - by learning Te Reo, I can allow others to do the same in the language close to their hearts.

I love my culture, my Māoritanga and all we stand for

Kiaana

So our Whanau can actively use our Reo at home therefore our beautiful Language isn't lost.

Ants

In support of this kaupapa 100%

Tuiata

In 1970’s l was part of a teachers group at Waikato University which was wanting to introduce Te Reno into primary schools. We even had a proposal that we put to the Minister of Education, Phil Amos. Nothing happened.

Grant

To give non-Māori New Zealanders a strategic position and role in the country's future. Te Reo is NZ's Native language, we should celebrate this! :)

Samuel

Because we should have done this years ago, we need to acknowledge the history of the Maori people and bring te reo into the mainstream, people need to attempt Maori words correctly.

Marie

Here at BestStart Te Aroha we are always striving to upheld a bicultural environment for our tamariki. We value and use Te Reo each and every day. We want our Maori learners to feel that their culture and language is important and valuable to us.

Ashley

I believe it is important for all New Zealanders to learn and understand as much te reo Māori as they can. New Zealand has 2 national languages and I would like all New Zealanders to be fluent and bilingual one day.

Natalie

Wanting to be able to speak Māori to teach it to my children

Tamara

So all of us on Site can take part and learn.

Sonia