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'

Hei tautoko i te kaupapa kia rere ai te reo i ngā wāhi katoa o te motu.

Nicola

I believe and support the goals that Kia Kaha Te Reo Maori are aiming to achieve and I want to be able to learn more about my culture and who I am, as well as, helping, encouraging and supporting others through their journey as well.

Saphrone

As highlighted te reo Maori is unique. And to embark on a journey in which I am able to embrace a culture which has embraced me is a blessing

Saeni

I'm not a crowd person - but this is an exceptional situation. We should all have a working knowledge of the indigenous language; there's nowhere else in the world where te reo belongs.

Miss Dee

As a Māori (by nurture) and a New Zealander, I believe that it is important that we acknowledge our first National language. I am a believer that if we don't learn, promote and share our language then it will die out. It is the least we can do to celebrate and acknowledge this beautiful language.

Jaemie

As a white Australian, with English/Irish/Scottish/German ancestry, it's very important for me living in this country of Aotearoa to tautoko the tangata whenua by acknowledging them and the whenua through using te reo. Aotearoa issues a challenge to all peoples of the world to acknowledge the tangata whenua in every land and make amends for the terrible injustice perpetrated by some of my ancestors and my colonial culture. Speaking the indigenous language opens up my cognitive awareness so I can be more of who I am created to be.

Russell

As a speaker of Scots Gaelic, I understand the importance of the connection between language and land. When I moved to Aotearoa I vowed to honour that by engaging with te reo and learning as much as I could.

Georgia

I plan to play this Playlist in my classroom so my tamariki can learn these waiata and sing along. Me kaha te whakanui i Te Reo Maori ia te ra ia te ra

Shirley

Ko wai a Ranginui? Ko wai a Papatunuku? Whangaia nga korero ki nga tamariki mokopuna

Kimberly

Learning much later in life that you still are looking for a true sense of belonging, only realising it was in front of you all your life. . . . that was my true lesson as a result I knew then it wasn’t too late too learn, believe in & grow in my cultural heritage trusting this to become apart of me naturally. I’m starting with Te Reo Maori.

Aroha

I am a proud New Zealander and I want to contribute to keeping the language alive.

Treena

This is my why, my Mokopuna whose first language is Te Reo Maaori and I am learning to try to understand and support them on our journey together.

Simone

He waka tohorā tōkī waka Ko Manaia tōkū maunga teitei Ko Hurupaki tōkū maunga Ko Wairoa tōkū awa No Whangārei ahau He wāhine o Tai Tokerau ahau I went to school in the 70s under the care of Hurupaki - which oversaw my early education. I was really lucky to get one hour a week of te reo with a specialist visiting teacher. This was supported by our regular teachers with the learning of waiata, kapa haka and pōwhiri. This could only have happened because of those wonderful people who stood up for the learning of te reo in the early 70s. Ngā mihi. In gratitude to those who stood up for the reo back then, I want to be part of the million who stand for the reo now, in support of the next generation.

Michelle

I am a kiwi, I was born and bred here in Aotearoa. I am not of Maori descent, however as a member of this community I consider it a privilege to learn the language of this land. I am a Cook Islander, if I went to the Cooks and people were speaking English instead of our native tongue our culture would die, and it is at risk now. I love the privilege of being tauiwi to this land, and believe that I can play my part by learning the language of this land and encouraging all NZers to participate. We will learn French and German in schools but not Maori? Bullocks! C'mon kiwi's lesssgoooo, the haka is not enough - it envokes pride in us all, I believe the language will too.

Moana

I believe Te Reo is vital in Aotearoa. We have many place names in Māori and I like to hear them correctly pronounced. We SHOULD pronounce our place names correctly. Also the names of so many of our citizens are Māori, which again should be correctly pronounced. This is the first known language of New Zealand and we cannot afford to let it die. It is a beautiful language and we should Celebrate it. I would not like to see ANY language die, least of all this language from our land. Kia kaha ki te korero Māori.

Rosalie

Keep the reo alive!

Sandy

I’ve always said I will call in and spend a day or so with mokopuna I can’t invite others because they may have the parents along b too many only a small place

Mereana

My tīpuna gave up the reo in order to survive. It's time to bring that journey back home and give our language its central place in this country. Because it's ours and it's ours to look after. Our knowledge is held in the reo. I am eager for fluency to open these doors for me, and lay the foundations for my children to go even further.

Alice

im proud to be of Maori descendant im pround of our Te Reo it is so humbling im proud of Maori world veiws an how they make us Maori people up we are bless to be surrounded by our Atia Maori everyday, we see, we feel them we appreciate our Atua everyday mauri ora ki te whaiao, rapuhia to tatau Maori, hei whakanuia pai marire. . .

Roimata

Kia ora e te iwi I am an instructor and adult educator based at Hawkes Bay Regional Prison. I currently run a course called Toku Haerenga Māori where instilling our department's Māori principles is paramount to myself my colleagues and the tāne in our care. Our course is modeled around the Departments Pathways and Hokai Rangi initiatives where as a kaiako I am bound and inspired to promote these on a daily basis. The below picture reflects the mahi my tauira create on their journey, the Model Marae is a practical element which reconnects our tāne with all that is Māori. Each marae is koha to a school as a learning resource where by we give back to the community but more so our tamariki . The Kowhaiwhai boards are designed around the 5 principles which govern their journey, Manaakitanga-Wairuatanga-Rangatiratanga-Kaitiakitanga-and Whanaungatanga. The smaller Kowhaiwhai boards are gifted to their respective whānau at the men's graduation, where we also hand over the Model Marae which is 2m x 2m to the respective principle of the kura it is going to. This is why our course want to be a part of Te Wiki O Te Reo Maori. Ngā mihi nui

Kyle

Kia mataara!

Kaikorai

My tamarikis

Stacey

Kia rangona te Reo Māori ki Aotearoa whānui!

Tukura

Part of being Pākehā is speaking Māori.

Tamsin

I want to do my part and learn Te Reo.

Kiley

So that I can talk to my mokos in the reo

Rosemarie

When we have other language "weeks" celebrating Samoan, Tongan etc languages, I always feel a deep sadness, mamae, for te reo Maori. I feel robbed of our language, which should be as fluently used in Aotearoa as English. It's not ok to justify this by saying. . "thats how it was back then"etc- The language was systematically stomped out. . land was stolen, and we are expected to just accept this? I am comforted in knowing a judgement day comes, I am currently reading (out loud! ) Nga Waiata (Psalms) one each day in both te reo and English and praying without ceasing for equity, and justice in Aotearoa NewZealand.

Melanie
christine
Paul
Helen
Zion

Kia ora

Amanda
Melanie

We should be proud as a country to speak our own native language.

Jackie-Jade
Krystal
moira

We feel being New Zealanders we should keep Te reo Maori alive to honour Treaty of Waitangi. Following Te Whaariki, the early childhood curriculum, we strive to make Te reo a living language within our centre.

Shamima
Olivia
Shane
Joe
Andrea
Joanne
Theresa
Sophie

As a teacher in this country, I want to make sure that I am respecting the Tangata Whenua and te Reo, especially because of the wrongs of past teachers and my ancestors.

Emily

My mother was in the same boat as my dad and lost the te reo as it was never again spoken by her parents as they knew what would happen to their daughter if she were to speak her language out loud.

Jane
Wes
Ricky

Especially due to the history of it not being celebrated or even encouraged. It is also my opportunity to learn more for the future of connection and understanding of the place I get to call home.

Pearl
Julia

My pēpi, Mihi Moana, reminds me of the importance of kaitiakitanga and that we ALL have a role to play. We are all part of the NZ community and we all have a part to paly in living and breathing the changes we want to see for our future and the future for our next generation. We must acknowledge what has happened, how we have come to be here and what we will do to make tomorrow better than today.

Abigail
Di
Nadine

First started learning te reo at uni. I have been privileged to be able to use it a little through work. I would like to become a lot more competent and confident in speaking and understanding. It's part of us living in Aotearoa / NZ. Arohatia te reo! noho ora mai ra, naku, na, Bev

Bev
toni

We live in New Zealand and the native culture here is Maori.

Tohaline
Kathryn
ruby

I believe that all kiwis should embrace the history and culture of our nation.

Gemma

I have stated to learn Te Reo in my workplace (2 courses so far) and it is very important to know some Reo and tikanga for working in genuine partnership with Maori. Respect for the tangata whenua has been largely lacking so we need to rebuild together. So we need to learn from each other, and weave our knowledge baskets together.

Elizabeth
Leanne

We're all actively learning, including our 5-year-old being in bi-lingual at school. Our agency is Māori-owned, so it's something we want to celebrate.

Kristin
Mary
Awhina
Debbie

E tika ana ki te whakanui i tētahi kaupapa e ngana ana ki te whakakotahi i ngā whakaaro nui ki Te Reo Māori me ōna āhuatanga katoa 👏. Ka mutu, he momo whakawhanaunganaunga i a tātou, te iwi o Aotearoa.

Ariana
Joanna
Laura
Abraham

I want others too experience it too

Yasmin
Monica
Gillian
Francis

In the past two years, I have completed a Tikanga course, and have been doing a Te reo course at my local marae.  

Julie

We have the responsibility to make Te Reo Māori thrives so that we sustain our culture and identity and give our future Tamariki/mokopuna a fighting chance to be unapologetically Māori and indigenous moving into the 22nd century.

Te Aomihia
Ani
Te Kōpū Mānia o Kirikiriroa Marae

I want to show the people that I work with the respect I have for the Maori Language along with the Tikanga Values that go with it, Hopefully this might encourage others to take part and have fun learning as well. Nga mihi nui.

Chris
Ken
Rihi

He mea poipoia ia ki te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, kia tū pakari ia ki tōna ao Māori. Mana Māori motuhake, tino rangatiratanga, he tohu aroha ki ōku tūpuna, ki ngā reanga o āpōpō hoki. He aroha mutunga kore

Maioha
Nic
Margaret

It should be grown and taught in every learning institution in Aotearoa. Needs to be a core subject in schools.

Dorothy
Karyn
Kowhai
Karen

Being 'one in a million' is such a unique opportunity and by taking part, we acknowledge the importance of Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa and commit to keeping the reo alive and thriving. Taking part in this moment could even create a ripple affect to those around us and encourage our whānau and friends to ako, whakarongo or kōrero, which could then encourage their whānau and friends and so on!

Olivia
Natasha

Besides my immediate whānau, everyone else in my whānau are Maori. It is a beautiful language and culture and I believe we have a lot to gain from celebrating te reo Māori. It brings us closer together and is important to make it fun. Te Reo Maori is apart of New Zealand and we need to do out part to keep it that way.

Taylah
deanna
Kathleen

Each year we celebrate with schools, and preschools participating. This year has presented unique challenges, and we hope that our online celebrations will inspire others to read, speak, learn, and sing Te Reo Māori. Our celebration will go live on Monday 14 September. For more information please go to: https://libraries. waimakariri. govt. nz/home https://www. facebook. com/waimakaririlibraries/

Jason

Without te reo the uniqueness that is us is lost not just for Maori but for the nation.

Ricky
Haimona
Doug
Stayc

I am on a personal journey of teaching and learning Te Reo. My Tupuna lived so I can be here today doing what I'm doing.

maurice
Kirsten