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'

30 yrs teaching Te Reo Maori to students. Its time more people support the kaupapa

Venus

So I can learn more about te reo maori

Gillian

I believe every language should be spoken and saved , being born and raised in New Zealand , Aotearoa where both English and Maori are spoken should make me learn as much as I can about te reo Maori, as should others. Also I have friends and relatives that speak it , so it would be nice to respond in kind.

mike

I love sign language

Etha

Etha

The PWS at Tide would like to extend their te reo knowledge. A new word each day would be fabulous .

Iris

Kay

To integrate with the Māori culture and language

Jayne

I have always wanted to improve my reo and now seems an excellent time to focus on this

Sue

Lester

Te Reo connects us and allows us to belong together.

kellie

Makere

It's super important for me to learn more reo and not be whakamā about trying to kōrero when I don't have my notes!

Vivian

Kei te ako ahau i te reo māori - and learning all the time. And I love to share what I am learning in class.

Aroha

I am from overseas and value the importance of Te Reo for this country. It is identity. I am a teacher of preschool children in NZ. If they hear te Reo, they’ll learn te Reo.

My children are - like many - part of an extended family. When they are with their dad they live with him and his partner - she is of Ngati Maniapoto descent and has extremely close links to her whanau and marae. My kids spend a lot of time with them and my son in particular is working on his te Reo. For me personally - I did a DNA test. My whole life - 39 yrs - my elderly family members have sworn black and blue that we are of British and Spanish heritage. The Spanish presumably to explain why we tan so well. So it was shocking to get dna results back that claim I am 30% British, 40% Serbian/Balkan/Russian/Germanic and. . . 30% Maori. To me its a beautiful thing - I'm even more connected to this beautiful country then I ever hoped - but for that older generation and the ones before - it was a shameful secret to keep and lie about. I tell my beautiful children everyday to live their truth - having a transgender child has taught us to always be proud of who we are but being able to teach our children more about our background in its own beautiful tongue is a gift.

Renee

A living language is what keeps a culture alive and thriving.

Lynette

Proudly Māori, I want to contribute to strengthening te reo Māori - in my kura, in my community, for myself, my kids and for my whānau. Kia kaha i te reo Māori, e te whānau!

Carol

Nā te mea, ko te reo Māori te reo o ōku tupuna!

Lynn

Connecting with Aotearoa & Tangata is my aim, reinstalling Hope into our communities is my passion. Mauri Tu, Mauri Ora.

Toli

because teo Maori is the most import thing in new Zealand

zibraan

I love to learn new language and its the culture

Etha

Te Reo is the first language of this land, and as a 4th generation New Zealander I feel like I'm a part of this land. . . it just makes sense to embrace the language as part of being a New Zealander.

MIchelle

Noel

To connect our tamariki to their identity. Wharewhare in Te Reo, a fun and interactive way to learn numbers.

Jaemie

To ensure that Te Reo is able to flourish in Aotearoa for all New Zealanders!

Maggie

Kei te hiahia ahau ki te ako ki te reo māori, nā te mea he aroha ki tō tātou reo! Engari, ko te mea nui, kia uru atu kia whakaoranga o tō tātou reo!

Laverne

becouse its a big deal for the world to now who the kaitiaki o tenei whenua o AOTEAROA

raukura

Te Reo is apart of the culture of our nation and the culture of our school, it’s who we are and so it would be wrong of us not too.

Jordy

Te reo Māori is a foundation stone of Aotearoa New Zealand. Understanding what it means to be "from" NZ means understanding the beauty, sacredness and importance of te reo.

Simon

"Continuous reinforcement and rediscovery of Indigenous language, cultural, and spiritual practices empowers people to move forward in their growth as proud Indigenous citizens. "

Nusiebah

We want to ensure that Te Reo Maori becomes part of everyday life in Aotearoa

Henare

Noel

Kia ora my name is Nikora (Nichole). I have recently learnt that my ancestor Charles Hartley was the first Pakeha to view the site of Papaioea - how beautiful it is (Palmerston North). He was a registered te Reo Maori translator and I believe was greatly respected amongst his Maori colleagues and neighbours. I am saddened that the heritage in our family of fluent te Reo Maori has been lost over the generations and hope to revive it in my whanau. Although I am settled in Tamaki Makaurau, I think it is quite special that I was born in Papaioea, connecting me to this ancestor that I am continuing to learn about and be inspired by. Kia Kaha te Reo Maori!

Nichole

Having recently connected with my Maaori heritage, Te Reo language and the culture is an important part of my identity which I am enjoying exploring and building my knowledge of.

Hannah

Ko te Reo Māori ko toku taonga tuku iho. Ko te taonga tuku iho mo āku ngā tamariki me āku ngā mokopuna katoa, ināianei me i ngā wā o muri. (The Maori language is my heritage. It is a legacy for all my children and grandchildren, now and in the future. )

David

Mostly, we love the sound of the language, so melodic! Being from the U. S. and knowing how poorly the indigenous peoples have been treated here, it's heartening to see some success. We're pitching in and doing our part!

Dina

To continue to celebrate Te Reo Maori and Te Ao Maori in New Zealand.

Heather

Having grown up in the deep south with Pakeha parents and having no connection to who I am as a Wahine Maori until I was 20 years old has made it really important to me to learn the things that I didnt know - despite looking so obviously Maori. The whakama of not knowing who I was, particularly when Maori asked "Ko wai to Iwi?" I love that all of us know Reo Maori words that are interspersed into normal everyday Kiwi language- kai, whenua, aroha, Kia Ora, to name a few. Its important that Te Reo Maori is normalised and becomes more a part of our everyday language as it draws more people in to learn to korero i te reo Maori me ona Tikanga. Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui koutou!

Jan

Te Hiringa Hauora | Health Promotion Agency is joining the Māori Language moment because we take a 'life-course' approach to hauora. That means having a healthy start to life and staying healthy across your lifetime with the right support at the right time, instead of only getting help when you're sick. One thing that keeps people healthy and well is a positive connection to their identity, language and culture. We tautoko that by sharing this new lullaby 'I Te Tōnga o Te Rā' to settle pēpi, māmā and whoever puts baby down for a moe. It is sung in our nurturing, soothing reo as a koha for pēpi and whānau, to keep our reo alive in the home and it shows lots of tips to get baby ready for a safe, healthy sleep. Poipoiā te kākano, kia puāwai. He taonga tuku iho. Kia kaha te reo!

Pirimia

Kia kaha o Te Reo Māori!

Alanah

An opportunity to participate where others couldn’t, ensuring our indigenous language is never lost. Like the saying goes, "I hea koe i tangihanga o te riroriro? - where were you when the riroriro was singing?" Our time in now!

Rickie

For our indigenous Māori culture and language to be our Kiwi, New Zealand, Aotearoa way of life, to live and to share, not just be the gateway tourism of New Zealand

Donna

Learning about new languages and cultures is a passion of mine as I believe communication is the key to connect people.

Jyoti

kiwa

As a pākeha who's tīpuna hail from Europe, I think it's so important that I learn enough of te reo Māori and tikanga that I can respect and honour the culture of tangata whenua in a meaningful way.

Amy

I want to be part of the movement to normalise the use of te reo Māori. Te reo Māori is our taonga and should be spoken by all people in Aotearoa.

Amber

Nā te mea, te reo Māori te reo tuatahi o tēnei whenua

Laura

To increase my knowledge of Maori

Lester

There are many benefits in learning another language, including understanding, appreciating and respecting another culture. I am an immigrant came from Persian culture, having Farsi language as my mother tongue and English as my second language. Learning other languages and cultures at any age is a joy that one should not miss.

Hoda

Being an import from London, I know my knowledge of NZ history, culture and language is lacking, I need to take time to learn and understand more to help me become a more rounded Kiwi

Peter

To be part of something uniquely different that unites us all

Ingrid

Because te reo Māori is a tāonga and it is the first language of this land. It is also a beautiful language which can broaden our sense of the world and who we are.

James

To learn to use my Mihi to introduce myself at a gathering or meeting

Nicky

Having been an expatriate Kiwi for most of my life, my exposure to te reo and tikanga Maori has been limited. Joining the Māori Language Movement is an opportunity to learn and connect with New Zealand's culture and heritage.

Miriam

It’s what makes Aotearoa unique. I am passionate about sharing Te Ao Māori with our tamariki through waiata, pukapuka me nga kemu Opens up a whole bunch of skills and learning opportunities for our tamariki

Sal

Moana

To show everyone how much we love our indigenous language and to help all kiwis to feel they can be a part of a beautiful project to protect and celebrate indigenous lanuages.

Tania

From Abby (6) "its good to learn Maori words, because the Maori people where the first one's here in New Zealand"

Penny

I am driven to learn Te Reo Māori for my son who is wanting to learn about his culture, where he comes from and learn how it all began. I am also driven to learn more to keep the language alive especially in my classroom and in my family's daily life.

Tanya

it is one of Aotearoa - NZ official language Te Reo needs to be part of our daily language engagement. So that my mokopuna hears their native language everywhere and experience positive identify elevation.

TeAo

to learn te reo so i can understand what people saying in maori or if i need help translating a word

Seini

Ka korero Maori ahau i nga wa katoa, a kei te hiahia ahau kia puawai to tatou reo, kia taea e au te korero ki toku whanau, kia tu matou hei whanau kaha ki te korero Maori.

Tamara

Learning about Te Ao Māori should be important to all kiwis - and furthering my reo journey has been a delight.

Charlotte

Kia ora Koutou. My why is many. Strengthening my connection to Aotearoa. Its people, its history, its culture. Te reo Māori is very unique to Aotearoa. I think that is awesome!

Duncan

Te Reo Maori is the language that unites us as tangata whenua and pakeha - it is unique to Aotearoa and a foundational part of our identity as New Zealanders.

Chris

Wellington Museum shares the stories and taonga of Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Te reo Māori connects us to the past. Without te reo Māori, many stories would go untold. Ako ako ako! Find free te reo Māori zines for tamariki here: https://www. museumswellington. org. nz/tereomaorizines/

Lizzie

My "why" first and foremost, is my family. I want them to know how important and significant te reo and te ao Māori are. Secondly, my students: I want them to know that we need to respect and treasure tikanga and reo Māori and I want to model that.

Cathy

This is a way to keep te reo Māori alive, revitalised and is the norm within my everyday life and will be come normal in all lives of whanau of Aotearoa. No mattaer who they are or where they are from! ! Mauri ora!

Molly

To celebrate and honour the diversity and beauty of Aotearoa.

Rochelle

Te Aroha - Waiata Sign 2021 Can you please sign the waiata Te Aroha

Richard

Te Reo Maori is a unique and special language and is a part of us as Kiwis. It's important to make it a daily part of our tamariki's life to make it part of their whole life.

Pip

I have spoken Te Reo Māori for the majority of my life and I love to talk to enhance understanding. I love speaking Te Reo Māori and the different dielects that we have. I play the guitar and teach kapahaka waiata for the enjoyment of learning.

Rongomaiwahine

Ko te reo Māori he motuhake mo ta tatou whenua.

Hone

Dallas

Taking part, is bringing a moment we can all identify as people of Aoteraroa and celebrate and embrace the feeling, identity, culture, history, and language. It's good to kōrero Māori, kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui, kia ahau nei.

Dicey

My heritage. My whakapapa. My ancestors. Its a part of me its a part of who I am. Its a part of who we are in Aotearoa.

Olivia

As a Kaiako, it is my responsibility to support and encourage children to learn and understand te reo Maori. This will help extend their competence and confidence in expressing themselves as well as enriching their communication skills. I want to role model to the next generation how to respect tikanga Maori by learning the language and the values that make us unique and special as a nation. When you develop a respect for our tikanga and te reo Maori, you will be able to respect other cultures, develop positive feelings towards everybody and everything else around you including the environment and yourself. One of my favourite whakatauki, "Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini". "I come not with my own strengths but bring with me the gifts, talents and strengths of my family, tribe and ancestors". KIA PAI TO WIKI.

Vesi

What drives us to take part is our passion to reclaim our reo not only for us, but also for our Tamariki and our Tīpuna. We want all New Zealanders to want to embrace our reo and love it as much as we do!

Loopy

To acknowledge the importance of te reo in our history and our country. To recognise the wrong's that have been done in taking the language away and to support it flourishing again. I've spent a bit of time understanding this waiata from Te Ataarangi - Kotahi Kapua - that a single person can have a great impact. The more of us that support, the more Māori can know we care that te reo Māori is a special part of our country.

Victoria

It’s important to me because all about Kia kaha Te reo Maori me nga korero wa KATOA me waiata

Haylee

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. ” What is the most important thing in this world? It is people, it is people, it is people. . . and I am one of those people, so I choose to join and to learn.

Deb

He taonga te reo, kia kaha tātou ngā tauira o te reo!

Hera

Marie

To share , respect and celebrate a culture that is a valuable part of our history and to learn to speak the language as it is one our third languages.

Gail

Megan

Language is the key to understanding. Learning is social so the more we learn together the more we learn

Maurie

Philomena

Philomena

Ko tētahi o ngā whāinga matua o mātou o Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki kia ūkaipō te reo Māori ki Ōtaki ! ! !

Denise

Te

Te

Te

Nōku te reo! Nōu te reo! Nō tātou te reo Māori!

Te

It is said that it takes three generations to restore language, me being the first and my sons will be the second. It is hugely important to us as a whānau to reclaim, and live in Te Āo Māori i ngā wā katoa. Reo kupu have such deeper meanings and the tikanga that sits alongside the reo goes hand in hand with that learning, Te Āo Māori makes more sense the more I journey into it.

AmberJade

Ko Te Reo te poutawhā e iri ai ngā atonga a ō tātou Matua Tupuna. He puawai putiputi te maoritanga Ko āna taketake ko te reo Tapshia nga taketake Ka mate te puawai putiputi Whakakorengia te reo Ka mate te maoritanga Kei enei kupu whakatauki te pūtaketanga o ngai tātou. Ko te wawata nui kia whiua e tātou te reo ki te ao kia rāngona i tona rangatiratanga. He toa ahau Ka taea e au nga mea e hiahia ana ahau He taonga ahau ki tenei ao

Kautai

Etha

Te ao Māori is important to me personally but I also want to share this beautiful, rich, unique culture with our school whānau. We want kaiako and tamariki to embrace our reo!

Karrie

It is important to me because I do not want our reo to be lost.

Kelly

It’s all about Kia kaha Te reo Maori me korero mai I nga wa KATOA

Haylee

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Whanganui

It’s all about Kia kaha Te reo Maori me korero mai I nga wa KATOA