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 attended a six week immersion Reo Maori course at Te Kuratini in Wellington in 1981 and have been a second language learner off and on since. Te reo was part of studies I did at Te Wananga o Raukawa. I completed a Diplona in Maori Health Mgmt there in 2000. I’ve attended iwi and hapū wananga and kura reo with Raukawa ki Wharepuhunga. I am currently a student of Te Putaketanga at TWOA this year. Te reo connects me to my whakapapa and identity. We have 4 young mokopuna and we are all learning together. Kia ū tonu ki te korero Maori. Nōku te whiwhi! !

Muriel

Why? Because it never should’ve been taken in the first place and we must ensure it is never in jeopardy of being lost again. For all of our Nanny and Papa who were punished for doing what was natural and right ❤️ With love for them. We have created a school wide competition for Te Wiki o Te Reo using this Tik Tok from our insanely talented Music Teacher Matua Tatana Tuari and his gorgeous tamariki for inspiration. Each day we will select four winners from across our school to promote Te Kupu o Te Rā. Will upload our daily winners on here as the week progresses.

Gisborne

Use Te Reo more, . . . more greetings and more in work emails.

Lucy

Kia ora kautou I was raised in a home where there was te reo Maori performing arts and a little bit of te reo spoken. At school there wasn't any te reo spoken. Now that I am in my 30s I feel I missed out on knowing a big part of my life. I have two children under the age of 5 and thank goodness my eldest is able to attend kohanga reo and live with her grandmother who is fluent in te reo Maori. But I would love to learn regardless of my age and my youngest being at a diverse daycare. This is why it is HUGE AND IMPORTANT TO ME because I would love for my children generation and the next generation to follow to be proud and not be ashamed of who we are and where we come from regardless of what stage of life we are at or where we are at in life. Aroha Mai NGA MIHI KAUOTOKA TOU

Krystal

I like to write about kia kaha te Reo Māori I love to korero Māori wa katoa I love to share a moteatea that I love is koia nei a rohe

Haylee

This is my moko kauae this means that all about Kia kaha te reo Māori I nga wa Katoa me to waiata moteatea

Haylee

I have been humbled by mana wahine throughout my life learning journey within tikanga me te reo Māori. I was also very honoured to be taught kapa by the late Major Alby Kiwi, while living in Burnham Camp Primary School, Christchurch. I want to be living in Aotearoa knowing te reo me tikanga Māori is at the fore front of all Governmental decisions and our tamariki, our reporters, staff (of main stream schools), communities are korereo te reo Māori i a ra, i a ra katoa.

Kathryn

To share our beautiful reo, to learn our beautiful reo, to normalise our beautiful reo. Arohatia te reo ataahua, te reo Māori.

Courtney

The inspiration of this piece came from the old pictures 50 years ago with our people holding a banner saying AKONA TE REO MAORI the use of the Tino Rangatiratanga haki adds to the sacredness of our language

Patena

This art piece depicts sacredness of each vowel which originates from our Atua Maori to our Tupuna to us the use of the Tino Rangatiratanga haki strengthens our hikoi of rejuvenation of Te Reo Maori

Patena

Continue to speak te reo and learn it alongside my pepi and mokos.

Pearl

It is imperative that I learn to speak this beautiful language♥️Love what I have managed to grasp so far but I want more - oh to be fluent♥️♥️

Linda

In my line of mahi, I greet people everyday by using the phrase “Kia Ora”

Tia

To learn and integrate Te Reo into daily life

Logan

With my beautiful grandaughter immersed in her culture, I too want to be a part of her journey it has given her so much essence and love

Janet

This is my favourite week of the year! Such a beautiful language

Danielle

Kurt

I have been learning for 7 1/2 years now and I am now the teacher of Te Ao Māori and Kapa Haka at Morrinsville Intermediate and can do the basics of whaikorero and speak intermediate level. I gained a bilingual scholarship and am enjoying my journey.

James

kia ora whanau, ko grace ingoa

gracey

Every year my goal is to learn more, know more, speak more than I did the year before. We have come along way but there is still some way to go. It is time for te reo Maori to be a part of our every day. As one person said already 'if we understand a language, we understand a culture', just beautiful.

Jadene

For my tama Tamati and the moko Emmit and Wolf who are Ngapuhi strong. ❤️🤍🖤

Sheree

Tame Iti and his Mahi for this exhibition reminds us that our tipuna were punished for speaking the reo. I was raised outside my culture and used to mourn the lost years but now that is the fire that keeps my passion to learn about MY culture and MY reo so I can be a worthy ancestor. #iwillspeakMāori

Sheree

Ma te ako ka mohio, ma te mohio ka marama, ma te marama ka matau.

Miriama

This is my why! To be able to carry on the mahi that has been done for years.

April

He aha au e hiahia nei ki te ako i te reo Māori? He hiahia nōku kia whāngaihia āku tamariki mokopuna hei oranga mō tātau. Kia kaua tō tātau reo me ōna tikanga e rite ki te moa. I have always wanted to be fluent in te reo Māori because I felt like a part of me has always been missing. I was disconnected & ignorant. Learning te reo Māori has been a journey of self discovery & acceptance. Im doing the hard yards of reclaimation & re-indiginising so that my children don’t have to. My ‘why’ is my tamariki & my mokopuna. My job is to reignite the fire of te reo Māori within my whānau so that I can one day converse with my mokopuna in te reo Māori. It takes 1 generation to lose a language & 3 to get it back. I am the first for my whānau & my mokopuna will be the 3rd so it will be thriving for our whānau in future generations. “Ko te kāinga te mauri o te reo”, nā Tīmoti Kāretu.

Hinewaitī

The inspiration for the art piece evolved from the pictures of the hikoi to parliament Akona te reo Maori The use of the Tino rangatiratanga haki compliments the kaupapa of Te Wiki o te reo Maori E kore e ngaro he kakano ahau i ruia mai i rangiatea

Patena

My one is to ensure our language stays alive and flourishing, within my whanau hapu and iwi. . Mo Ake Tonu atu, ka ora ai Te Reo. .

Miquelle

It's important to me as I've always felt like a piece of me is missing & Im so jealous of those that can speak te Reo as I was never taught it & I grew up not being able to form my own thoughts.

Rosemary

I Am The Epitome of Maori, But in The Pit of Me There's A bit of Me That Wishes I Was. I te timatanga o rua mano rua tekou ma rua, I began my journey to learn Te Reo Māori. My goal is to be able to speak Te Reo fluently, to teach my babies and to understand our cultures Tikanga to its fullest potential. Why? Because I want a Deeper connection with our tūpuna, our whenua, our tikanga, our whaiao and myself.

Jordana

Kia mahi tahi tatou katoa ki te poipoi i te kotahitanga mo te ahurea o Aotearoa

Andrew

IT is a language and culture, that should be treasured

Shaun

Diversity is paramount to greater engagement

thornton

Ko mātou ngā uri whakatipu o ngā iwi o Muriwhenua

Dallas

I need to learn Te Reo Maori, because it is the language of the native people of the land that I choose to spend the rest of my life at.

Tapaita

I want to honour my nga tupuna and connect with my heritage by learning more te reo Māori, and encouraging others around me to do the same.

Felicity

I will work with my team to share the resources on this site and uplift te reo Māori in our workplace.

Micah

Te reo Māori is a taonga of Aotearoa that needs to be treasured and protected. I want to do my part as a non-māori. It's up to all of us who live here.

Natasha

I learn te reo Māori to be a better part of my community and get back in touch with my lost link to my tipuna

Abigail

It’s important to be one in a million to ensure this lovely language stays alive and is familiar to - and used by - all people in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Jan

As a school, we want to provide as many opportunities for our ākonga to learn about and experience every aspect of te ao Māori.

Charmaine

I am learning because of the beauty of this language. Because there is knowledge to be gained through understanding. I am learning because I am humble to receive new knowledge and understanding. I am learning because I have Mothered a daughter of Tainui and Ngāti Kahungunu decent and I want her to know the beauty of this language, her culture, her people. I am learning so that she can teach me as we grow.

Jacinda

I am kiwi who lived in Australia for most of my adult life. Now I am back in NZ and a Primary School teacher, it is more important than ever for me to improve my te reo skills and understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Fiona

Te Ao Maori is the reason I am the young woman I am today and the reason I'm able to be an amazing mama to my tama. I was fortunate enough to have both my papa (father) and my kuia (nanny) speak to me in the red Maori growing up. I learnt in a Maori environment. I went to Kohanga Reo kei Ngakawai, I then spent one year in Natone Park school where I learnt in a English setting before being moved to Titahi Bay North school in 2006, from 2006-2007 I was in the mainstream unit until I was then again move into our Maori unit that was at Titahi Bay North School called "Te Whanau o Te Kakano" from then right through too year 8 I was in a full learning Maori environment and I absolutely loved it, it installed so many strong beliefs that I have and so many morals that has guided me throughout my years of being a little girl right through to where I am at the moment in my life. I then attended Mana College and I was very nervous when going to college because I knew that not the WHOLE world was Maori, I had re-learn English, reading, writing was something I really struggled with during high-school so I was very thankful that I went to a Kura that could cater to my educational needs. Because my father installed so much of our maoritanga in us at an early age, I only want to be able to pass that on to my son, to teach him where he comes from, how to speak our red, learn about out history and how are we able to keep our red rangatira alive and thriving.

Jodeci

Mō aku tamariki te take e whakaako tonu ana ahau i toku reo rangatira. Kia tū rangatira ai aku tama me āku ākonga Māori ki tēnei ao hurihuri. Kia kore rawa rātou e whakamā kia tū Māori ake ki ngā wāhi katoa o tō rātou nei ao.

Jasmine

Visiting orthopaedic surgeon from USA. Partner is part Native American. I am Interested in, supportive of and wish to learn as much about indigenous cultures wherever I travel, especially because I am a rugby sports medicine surgeon and have many friends from Australia-New Zealand-Pacific Islands. Signing up for te reo Māori classes at night to learn language better, buying books and reading about Māori culture/mythology and hope to travel as much as my medical commitment in Blenheim/Marlborough region allow. Have been here a week, visited memorial to Māori in Picton about local Maori who served in NZ military in WW2, stopped and learned about Tuteurutira north of Kaikōura and plan to return there next week to hike an explore. Plan weekend visit to North Island to specifically explore Waitangi Treaty grounds. Much to do/see/explore/experience in 4 1/2 months between time in Wairau clinic & operative theatre. However, part of my semi-retirement is to work in traditionally underserved areas around the USA, Caribbean basin & now New Zealand. Same quality of medical care and compassion for all patients, players, etc. Also being open minded to learning from different medical traditions (e. g. , Native American, Carib, Asian, Māori). In a nutshell 🌰 😉😏🤣

Douglas

I have tried to learn reo and get involved in the culture but in the end it didn't really hold my interest, but I support anyone that wants to give it a go.

John

My own identity

Natasha

I want to speak to my Māori friends in their own language. I want to experience the joys and challenges of learning to express myself in te reo. I want to maintain my connection to Aotearoa while living overseas. Te reo Māori is the future of our country and I when I return, I want to be ready.

Victoria

Ko Tainui te waka Ko Tararua te maunga Ko Hokio te awa Ko Ngāti Raukawa te iwi Ko Pareraukawa me Takihiku ngā hapū Ko Sciascia me Bould ngā whānau ingoa Ko Lucy Bould ahau E noho ana au kei Te Whanganui a Tara I've always been so proud to be Māori and embraced my culture all through my childhood and teenage years, living and breathing Māori values such as whanaungatanga. After drifting from learning te reo in my final year of college, I found myself signing up to some reo and culture papers in my first year of university. This quickly reignited my passion and love for te reo me te ao Māori. Fast forward 6 years, I'm now a fully registered primary school teacher leading my kura in this journey. One of the best parts about my job is being able to teach a new generation of kids about our precious culture and reo, but also guide and awhi my colleagues to do the same. Tōku reo, tōku ohoho, tōku reo, tōku mapihi maurea!

Lucy

I have recognised that I need to find out who I am, my identity and my culture. I have blamed my culture for many years, for why I am not accepted, why my role as a leaders in corporate is hard and why I am not included BUT what I now know is it is not my culture it is those that don't accept me, dont accept my culture, dont accpet a women of colour. I need to learn my culture through Te Reo Maori and yes the Reo to be future of our Tamariki.

Julie

I'm participating in Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori in the hopes that one day the beauty of Te Reo Māori can be heard and used every single day.

Aidan

It is important to spread the culture of the original inhabitants of Aotearoa.

John

I love Te Reo Māori for its beauty and how it connects me to me tipuna. I love celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori.

Lee

Because learning about Te Ao Māori, Te Reo Māori, and Mātauranga is not just for Māori. I believe it is good for all New Zealanders and for guests in Aotearoa New Zealand to appreciate and respect our country's unique heritage.

Christopher

I am an early childhood kaiako and I think it’s important that we keep this language alive x

Courtney

It all begins with tamariki, I will work alongside tamariki and whanau to ensure that their language culture and identity survives.

Tania

For my Tipuna, my Tamariki, future Mokopuna and to stand tall in the revitalisation of our Reo!

Abbey

For my niece!

Josy

I am a part of Aotearoa and as a part I want to be involved in all the cultures :)

Paul

To be more connected to our culture and become more proficient in our beautiful language :)

Kate

Learning te reo Māori has not been part of my education as a youth due to living overseas during my primary and secondary schooling. Coming back to Aotearoa, I have not learned what I see as an important part of my heritage of being a New Zealander. I want to start my path into a teaching career and would like to enter it with the correct cultural understanding and language to be part of bringing these values to our tamariki and myself.

David

I have lived in NZ for over 30 years. I come from the UK. The founding languages of the Irish, Welsh and Scottish have been marginalised over the years - I could never understand why? Language is culture and so important we keep language alive. That's why I want to be part of the journey :-)

Teresa

Ko te reo tōku oranga ko te reo taku hononga ki tōku ao Māori. Kei te mahi ngatahi ai ngā tari kāwanatanga ki a ngai Māori. Na reira ma mātou ngā Māori e kawea ngā tari kāwanatanga ki te ao mararma nei ki te ao Māori.

Trevor

Our Kaunihera Te Reo group at Nga Ara Tipuna story telling journeys in Waipukurau.

Pam

I want to learn more about my maori side

kiaia

Learning Te Reo Māori has helped me see new perspectives and ways of understanding the natural world and people around me, and connecting with them in a different way. It is a beautiful language about reciprocal living and generosity and will help Aotearoa become a more sustainable and healthy place to live for us all.

Andrew

Kei te ako a Rangi! Rawe :)

Kosha-Joy

It is my responsibility to show respect and take up the challenge

Paul

kia ora, kia orana, ia orana, ko tangata tiriti ia au ae, pakeha, papa'a, popa'a no mai avaiki tamaiti angai ua me kore? . . i roto te tuatua o te 21st mirenia, no mai rarotonga * kite kore roa ia au te tuatua maori mako kare pono kare tika kare kite kite meangiti ua au ma'ata ro'a te akama ^ tena tutu ? i roto 'grafton' urupa? te ta'i me'a aroha, te ta'i manga aue te #mekameka e tatou e, teia ia toku patipatianga ka patipati ia au ? please help!

jason

"He ao te rangi ka uhia, a, ma te huruhuru te manu ka rere" "Clouds adorn the heavens, and with feathers a bird can fly" Paramount Chief Tamaterangi of Ngāi Tamaterangi, Kahungūnu. As my ancestor has described, I too will adorn myself with my Tūhoetanga, my Kahungūnutanga and my Ngāti Tokitanga, so that I might fly to the Panekiiretanga o te ao Māori.

Tamaterangi

As a primary school teacher from a very racist pakeha family other than a marae trip when I was 10 my exposure to our deep rich Maori heritage, was limited. A number of years ago I was privileged enough to go to Waitangi and share time and conversations that will forever mean the world to me. A couple of years later my husband and I were able to take our children to Waitangi over Waitangi and immerse them in not on the history of such an integral part of NZ but also in the customs, culture and language. This is something that we now have set as a bi-annual trip so that they will not grow up ignorant like I was. I believe that the Tamariki and Rangatahi in NZ need to be part of the movement and it starts with us the parents.

Lizzie

As an ece teacher I feel it's important for our tamariki to see and hear te reo māori

Rebekah

I work in Health

Tania

One of my biggest regrets is not learning my whanau language when I was younger.

Francis

My whānau is on the journey to rediscovering their Reo and I want to continue to improve my use and understanding of the language to continue to connect with my whānau and my heritage.

Marcia

My why is to one day whaikōrero fluently, to honour my tūpuna.

Tipene

I am inspired to ensure that myself, and my tamariki become fluent in te reo Maori, and te ao Maori, as we are part of the future of Aotearoa.

Julie

Raising my tamariki has inspired me to learn my language. As I grow older, and watch them grow older, I feel a pull towards my culture that I wish I had when I was younger. Hei aha, you're never too old to learn!

Kylie

I am wanting to be apart of keeping te reo Māori alive because it is a beautiful language and I want to be able to teach my young son the importance of Māori in Aotearoa. I also want to make sure my son (and myself) learn the CORRECT history of Aotearoa, not what my ancestors wanted to hide/destroy.

Larissa

When hearing others speak Te Reo I am envious and would love to be able to korero as they do. I have attempted many times over the years to learn the language but time has always been an issue. As a person of Maori descent, I want o learn the language.

Ann-Maria

I’m Kiwi, not iwi, however i’m proud of who we are as a nation. Have come to realise it is important to not only respect, but also learn about our nations Maori heritage. Learning our reo and understanding of our culture ensures we maintain our links with the past and bring it into the future. so its not lost. Thanks for your time, Regards.

Anaru

I want to be one in a million for my children and my whanau.

Maree

My name is ArohA

Aroha

I'm learning reo Māori to support my tama as he's in his second year at kura kaupapa, and I want to support him to grow and develop as a fluent reo speaker with a strong connection to his whakapapa and whenua.

Nick

i teeraka atu wiki i whakaritengia e ngaa taamariki o Te Arapeta Koohanga reo, ngeetehi kaari me ngaa taonga moo ngaa maamaa atawhai. ko te ngako o te kaupapa nei, kia whakanui te raa whakahirahira, araa ko te raa maamaa. i ako ngaa taamariki teenek in rerenga koorero, “hari raa maamaa, ka nui ake te aroha moou e maamaa”. e hiikaka ana raatou ki te haere atu ki o raatou kaaing ki te hoatu ngaa kaari ke ngaa taonga ki ngaa maamaa. Ko te mea nui rawa, ko te whaanau, ko te aroha, noo reira e moohio ana aaku taamariki teeraka. Ko Te Arapeta ki te hoe, huroo! ! huroo! ! Ngaa manaakitanga e te iwi.

daniel

I want to be part of the movement that helps keep te reo alive and thriving and growing.

Claire

I want to part of the movement that normalises and practices Te Ao Māori on a daily basis; I want to help destigmatize the use of Reo in a workplace; I want to encourage my whānau to rediscover and reconnect with their roots, heritage and right as a Māori; I want to learn more and pave a path for future generations

Chanelle

My Nana said they used to get the cane everyday at school for speaking Mа̄ori. So she never taught us how to speak Mа̄ori, but I'm glad most of it stuck with my older sister. I grew up lost around my own whānau not knowing what they were saying. I still find myself getting lost when i'm on my Marae, but I'm happy I know more reo now than I did before. I learn for my whānau who couldn't speak in those days. I want to become fluent for those who had it beaten out of them. I used to get shy for saying who my Nana was especially when I used to go to Hoani Waititi Marae, cause once someone found out who she was they'd start speaking Te Reo and I'd freeze. I felt like I was letting her down for not knowing my own reo. I found an interview my Nan did and it fueled a part of me, and made me want to learn Te Reo Mа̄ori. Not just for Nan but for my future kids, my nieces and nephews who are fluent. My Nana is an inspiration, to me and to many others. For you Nan (Reitu Cassidy Robson)

Aketainga

I remember when I was 9 years old, and the idot Goverment at the time stopped Te Reo Māori being spoken and no more Carving or weaving was allowed. Just think I may not be writing this if we had not been stopped, I could have been fluent and a Master Carver? I'll never forget our Headmaster at Maketū School Mr Ian Gibson telling us no more Māori is to be spoken, he was crying as he told us. We would sing the National Anthem in Māori and English and I might add he was Pakeha and an awesome Teacher. We had a mixed school at the time and everyone loved learning all to do with Te Reo Māori. My koro would not teach me, he was a Hero in the 1st World War, his reason I later found out was they were whipped or put in Jail. My mother was fluent and she would not teach me thats how scared they were. My wife is Pakeha and we decided to move to the Hawkes Bay and send our 3 Sons to Te Aute Kāreti so as to learn their Reo. Last year I enrolled in Level 2 Te Reo Māori in Maketū, this year I would have done level 3 but have been unwell so I pulled out. I Passed last year but I did miss a few classes thru sickness so I may have struggled this year? Kia pai te rā hai konā.

Comrie Anthony

My dream is to kōrero māori i ngā wa katoa. To take back what should be mine by birthright and normalise te ao māori for me ōku whānau katoa 😍 I am so thankful for safe environments to learn and amazing kaiako.

Sariah Abish

It is important to me to learn to speak my language, learn my culture and share what i am learning with my whānau. I want to be able to apply what i am learning in my work and role as Change Manager and encourage those around me who are interested in learning and joining the journey in revitalising te reo māori.

Tania

My why is to embrace and re-ignite what was lost and discover and express the beauty of te ao Māori and taonga o te reo now and in the future

Mark

To learn this beautiful language and understand the culture, i did one year at Te Wananga learning but i feel I've only touched the surface of both the language and the culture. To know that more and more people are wanting to learn to speak maori gives me hope. . nga mihi

Michelle

My why is to learn Te Reo and pass it on to our future generations. By learning and speaking Te Reo in daily life, we can become more connected to our roots! So I am embracing this language by learning Tikanga (Origins of maori, karakia & mihi acknowledgements). From background, I am an Immigrant from India but I like learning Te Reo.

Harsh Singh

I have reconnected with my language to tautoko my Husband and daughter and connect with there whakapapa. Teaching my husband pronunciation through songs, and listening to maori television has helped him with the basics.

Ngahina

Because language is fundamental to culture and if Te Reo thrives Māori will thrive - that is good for all of us. It is a joy to hear Te Reo more in everyday life in Aotearoa.

Diana

Kia ora, Ko Kaya Tiana Williams Cash Waipouri toku ingoa Ko Mt Tu ta moe te maunga Ko ngatokimatawhaoura te waka Ko Nga puhi, Ngati kahu and Ngapuhi te iwi Ko kaihu te awa Ko Tama te ua ua marae No reira, kei aku rangatira, Tena koutou katoa. I am Maori/Pakeha, Mandarin when I was kid I went to a Maori kura and learnt how to speak, understand and response in Te reo maori but since I left due to personal reasons. . . i lost my way from home so I started to lose hope but this year I got back up and enrolled myself into a programme with Te Tau Here the best experience I felt more connected and amazed by the things that I learnt I believe as long as I know where I come from, that's all that matters. :)

Kaya

my son is Maori and grew up in Hokianga. I took him to Kohanga Reo at two weeks old but once he went to school, language was English. He is not fluent, but intends to speak te Reo Maori to his future children, his partner is also Maori, so if I speak more, my mokopuna will be a more rounded person, with both sides of their ethnicity.

Barbara

I want to be part of this because te reo is rich and beautiful, because it carries and imprints the history and cultures of Aotearoa including within the reo names of the landscape, and because I feel the inability to operate in te reo as a kind of disability. Like trying to walk on one leg - you can do it but two legs, even if one is prosthetic, opens up so many more possibilities. Kia kaha te Reo Māori.

Peter

I work on conserving NZ native species, preventing them going extinct. To me te reo Māori is a precious native species that must not go extinct. It's the keystone of our cultural ecology, vital for Māori but also precious to Pākehā.

Sue

This post is in moderation. Only you can see this because you are the author.

Paraparaumu

I work on conserving NZ native species, preventing them going extinct. To me te reo Māori is a precious native species that must not go extinct. It's the keystone of our cultural ecology, vital for Māori but also precious to Pākehā.