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 non Maori but born and bred Porirua wahine :) I think it is respectful if all of us living in Aotearoa acknowledge and try and speak 'te reo' to the best of our ability.

Rachel

Language is a vital part of culture, a taonga to be treasured and celebrated

Rachel

He whakahirahira i tenei kaupapa ki au. Mena i wareware koutou ki te korero Maori, a , ka ngaro to tatou reo.

Rachel

I love the Maori Language

Rachel

To be connected

Rachel

to be brave in a crowd, to have the reo noticed.

Rachel

Personally very passionate about elevating Te Reo Māori amongst all New Zealand communities and seeing it become a more everyday part of life in New Zealand. I have recently started my reo journey with AUT and am actively trying to encourage others to start learning in whatever way they can too, from tuning into Māori TV, listening to waiata, reading books like The Bone People which integrate more language etc. Posting on social emdia I know will get a lot of engagement so although I am very nervous to do it, I want to!

Rachel

Acknowledging and supporting Maori tikanga and reo is important to me as part of decolonisation and tautoko for rangatiratanga, which is part of my values.

Rachel

My grandchildren have learned Te Reo through school and my great grandchildren are learning at Kohanga. Maybe time for me to learn to korero maori. The blog post slug for this story is: rachael_-_matamata

Rachael

I don’t want the language to disappear as I thinks it’s important for my kids and there kids and there kids to learn it and about it. . . I as a child didn’t get to learn as much as I would’ve liked too. I’m very lucky to have a friend who takes the time to explain quite abit too me as I don’t have any living whanau of my own to do that for me.

Rachael

Mõ tātou tēnei taonga, nõ reira mā tātou katoa ngā mahi whakapakari, whakarauora hoki

Rach

To keep it up!

Rabi

Our reo is apart of us. It is our identity. Without it we are nothing. We have no mana! Ākina te reo inga wā katoa .

Rīanara

It is important to me because its apart of me

Puawai

Important for all New Zealanders & to show respect for our first language

Pru

The reason I want to take part because I love to tell learn about Maori culture and the history of Maori. It will be my pleasure to cherish the culture and the Language. All these will help me in my early child care education and with the children.

Priya

To encourage me to want to learn and speak Te Reo

Priscilla

Showing people that te reo Māori is not a foreign language and has been around 4 a very long time

Preston

The reason its important for me to take part is because it is my culture and i would like to support maori language week

Pounamu

Because I believe that it is possible for Aotearoa to become a truly bicultural country.

Pokere

I am proud of my heritage and wish to be more fluent in Te Reo Maori.

Poia

Kia whakapau kaha, kia tautoko i ngā whakaihu o nehe i para te huarahi ma tatou nga uri whakaheke

Pita

I would like Te Reo Maori to be part of every day communication. Everyone saying ' kia ora' instead of 'hi' would be a great start. I thank Maori who are fine about sharing te reo with others (even when we mangle the language). I'd like te reo Maori learning be more accessible to Maori who have missed out on the kind of opportunities I have had.

Pip

To learn Maori culture&language

Pichamon

To ensure future generations continue to speak te reo, by normalising it in their world, and ultimately the rest of Aotearoa.

Piata

• I want to actively contribute to increasing the use of te reo and understanding of tikanga Māori. I’m firmly of the opinion that a strongly diverse and inclusive community with Te Ao Māori as its foundation is essential for a healthy flourishing Aotearoa/New Zealand. • My early catalyst for wanting to inform myself in Te Ao Māori was driven from a social justice perspective and a desire to understand the concept of bi-culturalism and what that meant in a practical sense. Then as I started to learn more about Te Ao Māori I felt a strong resonance with and connection to Māori concepts and my own value system.

Philip

Because this is NZ language and we should respect the people and their culture but also it would just be great to have another sense of belonging in this society and become 1 instead of individuals .

Petrina

Nā te reo ahau i ora ai, māku hoki te reo e whakarauora

Petina

Te reo is the first language of this land. For the language to survive it is important that the language used in every day communication as well as English.

Peter

It's our national language and so few of us can speak it. Let's get more of us using it and see more te reo in everyday use.

Peter

Te Reo is one of our two national languages, it is important that we can all speak it.

Penny

Kia ora to tatou reo.

Penny

Language and culture are inseparable. Kaiako enhance the sense of identity, belonging and wellbeing of mokopuna by actively promoting te reo and tikanga Māori - Te Whariki, p. 43.

Peninsula

Decolonizing myself and my space

Pene

Upholding Te Reo language and recognising it as one of our national languages is important to me. Teaching our tamariki the importance of learning the language is also something I feel needs to happen. Also to continue my own personal growth in understanding tikanga and reo.

Pax

Every opportunity to learn a little more is great!

Paulette

Mō āku tamariki.

Paula

I grew up before Te Reo was taught in schools and I feel like I missed out. As a pakeha kiwi I want to learn (Te Reo, Tikanga and Te Ao Maori). I feel like there is so much we can learn through sharing and I want to be part of a better NZ where we can all learn from and be proud of our Indigenous past and help create a more equitable and better present and future for Indigenous and all NZ.

Paula

I am an ECE kaiako and feel it is important to save te reo Maaori become strong again. Q

Paula

help us be more understanding and fluent.

Paul

Hei whakamana te reo, hei whakakaha te reo, hei whakaora tonu te reo!

Paul

Te Reo Màori and Tikanga are both beautiful language and culture. Te Reo Màori enhances my life in Aotearoa ! ! The blog post slug for this story is: paul_-_hamilton

Paul

Even though I am not Moari I think it is important for all NZer's to know some Te Reo Maori and to gain confidence without fear of embarresment or redicule or being mocked. I work in a school that is mostly Maori and has a number of Maori teachers so being able to speak some Te Reo Maori is a way of showing respect for and recognition of Maori culture. Besides, ka rawe te korero Te Reo Maori, speaking Te Reo Maori is fun.

Paul

Te reo Maori is an essential part of living in Aotearoa and respecting the culture of this wonderful land.

Patricia

Te Reo is at the heart of our Community

Pat

Learning another language Can open up a world of learning more

Paradorn

Nga mihi, To find oneself through The Ngahere Moana Maara connecting back to my tupuna alongside my Tamariki Tane growing and entering Te Ao Maori. Being able to go back to My Marae and standing proud for what i have achieved. Tihei Mauri ora

Paora

Ko te reo Maori te tahūhu o te matauranga Maori. He tamaiti Aho Matua kua tipu ake i te ao Maori nei.

Pania

Kōrero te reo māori is our taonga to use today . What ever stage we are, "Kaua e whakamā" a few words a day, a sentence a week all adds up. As a nation everyone has the right to learn to kōrero te reo māori. Let this be a goal we set for ourselves, pairs, groups, whānau, hapū, iwi katoa. Lets strengthen our people to "kōrero te reo māori", I will continue to learn because I love the sound, there is nothing in my world that is so beautiful than listening to te reo māori being spoken and conversed from one to another. . He taonga tuku iho, He kai o te rangatira. Arohatia te reo māori i ngā wā katoa. .

Pania

its important to learn the language relevant to New Zealand

Pamela

Kiwis should feel proud of their country's history! I am not of Māori heritage, but I'm thrilled that I was given tools in my schooling to learn more about the language. There are thousands who did not have the chance to learn (or did not want to take part when offered) - and I'd like to try and normalise it for those who may feel uncomfortable using phrases that are unfamiliar.

Paige

It's important to me because it's bout time I learn my language an teach an learn with my son

Paeroa

I am maori

Ollie

I have Maori ancestry that I feel connected to and I would like my son to have more of an understanding of his ancestry than I grew up having.

Olivia

We need to come together to keep t the Maori language alive. We are stronger together

Olivia

To celebrate and support te reo Maori, to learn and to connect.

Oliver

It's my birthright

Nova

I want te reo Māori to be recognised more and support it being used naturally in Aotearoa.

Eleonora

Because I live in NZ and I want to aknowledge the culture here

Nora

My moko are Māori and as a pākeha nanni it is my responsibility to keep up my own reo Māori skills for the future generation!

Noeline

I am very interested in learning some Maori.

Noah

I believe that it is important for migrants or children if migrants to learn about the culture of the country they have moved to. It forms a deeper understanding and connection to the indigenous people of this land - the Māori. I believe that we cannot continue to live on their land without paying some form of respect to their way of life and their language.

Noah

To keep the Maori language strong.

Noa

Important for me as a kid that went to kura kaupapa to continue my journey learning and teaching- to normalize Te Reo and invite everyone to speak Te Reo Maori too

Niwa

Kia whakamaumahara i ahau me toku whanau ki te whakamahia i te reo, kei ngaro pera i te moa.

Nina

Te reo Māori is our cultural taonga and by speaking it I support it to grow. Kia pai too raa.

Nina

cause my teacher says so

nina

The Māori language is rich and beautiful and expresses a world view that is and needs to be part of the fabric of our lives.

Nikki

Because I have children who are part Maori and I want them to be proud of their culture and have a bit more of an understanding for it :)

Nikki

I believe it is important to learn and speak Maori to get immersed in the culture and gain an understanding of where I come from. I believe sharing the Maori language enables us as a nation to show how unique New Zealand is and embrace our different cultures to do this we need to pass our knowledge onto our tamariki and help grow our nation.

nikayla

Keeping te reo māori alive

Nik

We're part of Aotearoa, of which te reo Māori is an official and spiritual language. . . .

Nigel

My daughter is Maori and it is important for us to recognize this and empower her to be proud of her history, her heritage and family.

Nicole

1. its part of my whakapapa. 2. tautoko my whanau, friends and tauira . 3. Learn more Te reo,

Nicole

Kia kaha tatou ki te korero ki te whakaako i te reo maori, kia ora ai te reo ki roto i a tatou ano. Kia whakamana te reo ki roto i te kainga mo o tatou tamariki

Nicole

I am part Maori and part Samoan, so I think it's important not to forget this so I can ensure my children are growing up learning their cultures also.

Nicola

Kei te hiahia au ki te whakapai ake i taku reo me te tautoko i te iwi.

Nicola

I grew up in New Zealand as a Pakeha, I learnt Te Reo through school, but I wish I alway knew more. Being a New Zealander means knowing that Maori is part of our culture. My nephew is Maori and I want to raise him up and support him any way I can

Nick

I am not Maori

Nicholas

I'm keen to support it, and good numbers will encourage others

Nicholas

Kei te ako tonu au i te reo Māori, heoi anō, ka marama au me tikanga, kaupapa, i te reo kātahi ka homai i taku whānau. Ko Taranaki te mōunga Ko Waitōtoroa te awa Ko Kurahaupō te waka Ko Taranaki te iwi Ko Ngāti Moeahu te hapū Ko Parihaka te marae Ko Nicholas John Te Pohe Coutts ahau. Nau mai haere mai ki a koutou katoa i taku haerenga, ā, he ako te reo māori

Nicholas

I am wanting to become more aware and would love to learn this beautiful language

Nicci

To promote Te Reo amongst my akonga and for them to see it as a language which can be used everyday.

Niall

The greater number of te reo speakers in Aotearoa, the greater the understanding between cultures here.

Ngawini

I want my the Māori language to live on for my generation and for future generations. I believe that 'Moment of Te Reo Māori' will be one of many great strategies that'll contribute to the sustenance of Te Reo Māori, and I want to be on in a million who speaks my native tongue, to ensure that Te Reo Māori will live on forever.

Ngawairere

Hei whakanuia i tō tātou reo Māori

Ngawai

Ki te hapai ki te whakarauora ai i te reo

Ngapo

To feel stronger, confident and belong.

Ngaire

My love for my hapū, marae, maunga, awa, papkāinga, tūpuna and whānau drives me. I'm putting my best foot forward and setting an example for my mokopuna and future mokopuna to follow in my footsteps. I dream that te reo Māori will one day become normalised within Aotearoa!

Ngahuia

Because I am Maori, I live at home next to my marae and under the shadows of my maunga.

Nelson

to show that I care for the Moari culture.

Nelly

My Grandparents were stripped away their right to speak Te Reo which then went down to my parents skipped me and now I want to make sure that my children know where they are from and who they are as being a Native to Aotearoa

Nekoda

Te Reo Māori is a beautiful language, unique to Aotearoa. I am so proud to be Māori and am on a journey to continually improve my reo. I want the whole of Aotearoa to be proud of our language, because it's not just the language of Māori, but the language of Aotearoa and all those who live here. I want to be part of a movement to eventually speak Māori at the supermarket, restaurant, gym etc and I truly believe this will happen.

Nathan

A way for me to connect with my home and fellow Kiwi's and learn more about the Maori culture and way of living. I love it!

Natasja

I want to encourage using te reo as everyday language. Every day is maori language day for me

Natasha

It is important for our tamariki to learn about an official language of Aotearoa

Natasha

To preserve the language and culture is important to me

Natasha

Te reo Māori is the language of our native people/ancestors which is important to keep alive. It is one of the most beautiful reo i know with amazing tikanga. . .

Natasha

"He Taonga Tuku Iho! ! Te Whakapapa o te Whanau Maori Katoa, Te Whakapapa o oku Tamariki Mokopuna. Nga Rangatira O Apopo… Kaua e ngaro te reo Maori. . . Kaore te reo Maori, Kaore te Whakapapa, Kaore te Pepeha, Kaore nga Takepu, Aroha, Whakapono me te Tumanako…. "He Kore anake" Mauri Ora Whanau! !

Natari

Recognising the culture of our homeland and shared history

Natalya