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 want to support te reo Māori as the indigenous language. I am still at a very basic stage of my knowledge.

Leeann

To grow our country.

Charlee

Im proud to be Maori and to have my reo Maori Arohanui ki te reo o oku tipuna Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Maori

Lee

Aotearoa had potential once to have a wonderfully rich bicultural society. Ignorance, greed and intolerance have torn this apart. I’d like to think, as a country, we can learn from our past and move forward in a more positive direction. Helping Māori recover te reo is a small step in the right direction.

Lee

I was born in New Zealand and grew up with Maori place names but no understanding of what they meant. I want to learn more of the culture and tradition.

Lee

It is vital that the Maori language lives on and is loved.

Lee

E tupakari te reo maori

Leanne

I wish I had learned Te Reo Māori when I was a child. I think it is important for equity of our country.

Leanne

Role Modelling to my tamariki me mokopuna

Leanna

Because it's sacred to me.

Leah

As a European NZer, I am celebrating and honouring tangata whenua and their reo!

its cool to korero

Lavinia

I'm still learning on my maori side but beside in my whanau I want to keep the Te Reo Maori in us.

Lavina

I think it is important to normalise Te Reo in our everyday language

Lauren

We need our own New Zealand culture - an integration of Maori and Pacifica and European alongside other people who migrated here

lauren

I wasn't born a Kiwi but I grew up there. I do not consider myself to be anything else. I had to leave for a couple of years and uearn to be back in the most wonderful place in the world. The only place that has given me home. The only place in the world that I consider safe. Everytime I get to tell somebody I am a kiwi or it is noticed. I am proud and people sometimes even appear jealous. I am from a land where magic happens, and even the people over here in small town Canada have heard of it. I love to answer questions of where I come from and the culture that has inspired me and given mr meaning when I've had none. I want to know that no matter where I am in the world I can be part of something bigger for our communities and bringing to light the deep culture that New zealand holds. I want to be able to spread our uniqueness with people who are unfamiliar and at that moment in time have a connection with my country and my people. That knowing I am a part of something big means that in that moment I will be able to physically feel my heart tug knowing that my brothers and sisters back home are in this with me. Bring New Zealands unique culture to the surface and make people aware of how important it is to learn and be a part of.

Lauren

Because I have thoroughly enjoyed my reo learning journey so far and I believe it is something all kiwis should learn and participate in

Lauren

Learning a language is a way to understand a peoples' perspective on the world - it is truly a treasure. . .

Laura

I'm a maori student, and my mum is learning how to speak fluent. I want my younger siblings to be able to learn maori early on.

Lara

Because Te Reo is special to Aotearoa and we need to preserve, encourage and celebrate it - it's part of being Kiwi!

Lara

Aotearoa is the place of Māori - since arriving from Fiji in 1981 I have always felt the culture here should be Māori led and the language a natural choice for all. This is my kaupapa and yet I have still not learnt the reo - its time to do it for sure. I teach film at VUW (it is a well meaning by extremely Paheka institution) and I try to incorporate as much te ao Maori in my course as possible. Having better te reo Māori will help with that.

Lala

Te Reo Maori is important especially when you are living in New Zealand, its the native language. We must respect the land and culture, its as simple as saying Kia Ora. I love learning a new language its beautiful and expanding my knowledge.

lakeisha

Mahuru Maori reo and waiora challenge - increasing use of Te Reo Maori on a daily basis and doing a weekly fitness challenge for the month as a tima.

Laise

So I can learn Maori and it is important to learn Maori in New Zealand because Maori people are the people who found this land and they are letting us stay in it and we owe them

Laie

To acknowledge and respect my whanau and whakapapa

Laetitia

Having called nz home for 37 years but started school in Australia I missed all introduction to te roa in preschool and school, now I am going back and learning the official language of Nz having just completed level 1&3 in nzsl I am beginning my journey into learning te roa maori

Kylie

We believe it is important to celebrate Te Reo Maori because not only is it an important part of Maori Culture, but is also an important part of New Zealand's History and unique identity. My hope for this week is that it becomes a foundation, to not only preserve Te Reo, but also advocate using it in day to day life!

Krysten

I want to help reinstate the language and pass onto the younger generation in our whanau

Krystal

Boost te reo in nz

Kristyn

I have so much respect for the tangata who continued to speak their language, te reo, when the process of colonisation made that so difficult, even punishable. Thanks to them, re reo has survived. Now we have the opportunity to help te reo thrive again. That's why I am taking part in this moment.

Kristen

Te reo Māori is a taonga that all New Zealanders have a responsibility to protect and nurture. The language is the gateway to the culture - learn te reo and one learns about Te Ao Māori.

Kristelle

He māori ahau! My reo is limited, so I’m excited to get involved and build my confidence as well as my children’s confidence with te reo. Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori is such a great opportunity for us to come together to enjoy, celebrate and extend ourselves in kōrero Māori. Thank you for creating the opportunity for this moment 🙂

Kristelle

This is an important part of New Zealand culture and we want to take part and share in this anniversary and moment of such significance.

Krista

because I am a proud citizen of New Zealand and would like to take part in a nationwide event with 100's of thousands of people

It is one of the national languages in Aotearoa and so it is very important for me to support this kaupapa. Ka mau te wehi! !

Kohe

Being a teacher i think it will be helpful for me to know my Maori students better.

Kochurani

Because I am Maori we are Maori and as a people we are unique and important we own this and need to share it with our future generations . So for me this is my journey I’d love to be apart of. Nga Mihi

Kirsty

I want to walk with confidence in our land.

Kirsty

Te Reo Māori encompasses unique and key kaupapa.

Kirsten

Ko te reo rangatira te take.

Kirikowhai

Our goal is to establish, encourage and nurture sustainable creativity. This happens together by learning from one another.

Kiran

Ko te kaupapa whakahirahira, kia mau ki te reo o tatou tupuna

Kingi

To be apart of the actions to strengthen our ancestral language

Kimihia

To normalise Reo in my everyday, embrace my unique culture so my kids can carry on

Kimberly

There are so many reasons and they all flood in so fast that it is hard to break them down into a sentence to put in this box. I am a proud 50 something kiwi who values this land and who we all are, but can't and am not reflecting this properly in how I conduct myself and my business, I want to learn how and need a starting point.

Kim

It’s an important part of who we are to know the culture where we live.

Kim

It is important because its part of who we all are as New Zealanders.

Kim

Because maori language is one of our official languages and I think it’s important we can understand and use it and we understand our cultural history

Kim

As a pākehā who came to Aotearoa over 8 years ago I think it's very important to keep the reo of the whenua alive. Coming from a country who's language was also outlawed by colonists I feel a close connection to Māori and feel the importance of celebrating te reo Māori very strongly. Witnessing racism towards speakers of te reo has also strengthened my resolve to learn more kupu and use them as much as I can.

Earthlove

We want to further the teachers knowledge and skills and support our children to enjoy Te Reo in our preschool

Kim

It's our history and an integral part of what makes us New Zealanders.

Kim

I'm a New Zealander, which makes it important to normalise and use one of our official languages, but I'm also part Māori. I want to celebrate my culture, learn the reo, and to encourage others to speak te reo in the only country that speaks it :)

Kim

To keep the beautiful language alive. Connections to the past

Kiera

Be able to understand and speak some basic te reo

Kevin

To me it is important to learn and respect te reo Maori as it is the language of Aotearoa.

Kerry

Māori is not only my heritage but also an official language of NZ. It needs to be preserved, celebrated, and made accessible to everyone. It links me to my tīpuna and helps to guide me to my future.

Kerry

Its so important we don't loose the language. If we all make an effort then we will keep the reo safe and part of our future. After all it is our indigenous language x

Kerri

As a role model- I tutor te reo maori and offer cultural supervision to others.

Keri

It’s important for modern day New Zealand to pay compensation to the damage that colonisation has had on te Ao Maori and Te Reo. One of the best ways we can move forward is by teaching Te Reo in our schools.

Kenya

I am an immigrant to New Zealand/Aotearoa and have been here for more than 40 years. All of my family lives here in this country and I think it's important that we preserve the unique Maori language. My desire is that we will become a truly bi-lingual country.

Kenneth

it is a part of New Zealand culture and should be taught and used I used to learn te reo at high school and would like to learn again

Kelly

Keeping Te Reo alive needs to be a priority for all New Zealnaders. Be brave and give it a go!

Kelly

Love the language. Love the culture. Ka rawe.

Kelly

It is one of our official languages and I need to be using it more

Kelly

We have to preserve the language. We are the only country that speaks it and if we lose it we will never get it back.

Kellie

I would really like to learn to speak fluent Maori by the time I'm 20. I would like my younger brother to learn Maori when he's at school, so he can speak it when he's older.

Keita

If learning the language begins when children are young, those children will speak Māori and the language will be natural to them. As a child, I was not given this opportunity due to many reasons. But I won't allow my unborn child to go without the knowledge of o tātou iwi, ō tātou ahurea, ō tātou reo. In order to do so, I must ako and hold myself accountable to do so.

Keenan

Being a raukura or a graduate of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori movement I hold te reo Māori close to my heart and will continue to speak and learn

Kayne

As a proud New Zealander, I feel as though it is important for us to learn and embrace our diverse culture as a whole.

Kaylee

Ko te reo te reo oāku tīpuna - ka tau ai te māori i roto i taku wāhi mahi.

Kayla

To me being Māori I always felt whakama that I didn’t know my pepeha or know any basics. So I enrolled with the wānanga and started to take my birth right and learn more about this beautiful taonga. I don’t look Māori but feel very strongly about wanting to be fluent on day. Tihei Mauri Ora

Kayla

It's part of our school's strategic plan to become bilingual

Kaye

I don't have much te reo maori, but can pray the Lord's Prayer. It seems such a simple thing for me to do.

kay

I'm an immigrant and I feel it's very important to learn the history of colonisation, to protect te reo and to honour Te Tiriti. I was totally ignorant when I came to Aotearoa 26 years ago and now feel that we all have a responsibility to learn about this and do what I can to correct the injustices of the past.

Kay

I've recently discovered how good our maori kiwi singers, song writers are during lockdown. Simply inspirational.

Katy

I am so proud of what makes NZ unique and growing up in a predominantly Maori area, I was always so respectful and appreciative of Maori and Maori culture. I was fortunate that in our school we were taught Maori vowels, greetings, poi and games. And that was five decades ago. As a seventh generation pakeha I was late in learning that my ancestor when he came to NZ lived with Ngati Toa on the kapiti coast and had an enduring relationship with Te Raupahara. He had a Maori wife with which he had 8 or 9 children. Like so many whalers he deserted her and went on to marry an incoming english woman and sire our family line. When I discovered this I was filled with shame on behalf of my family and have been since trying to establish who is Maori wife was. Rumours have it she was one of Te rauparaha's daighters. We know Sid Jacksons family are our blood line but have much still to determine in our search. It is a long journey that I am determined to travel. As an elected local government official I continued to learn more about New Zealands Maori heritage instigating Maori culture events like Matariki and embracing Maori partnership projects with local iwi. My children all participated in Kapahaka as the 'whitest white haired' kids the Awataha Urban Marae had seen but emerging them in Maori culture was important to me and therefore they now are carrying on those same values to their own children. I am currently learning Basic Maori and finding out more about Kind Country Maori history having moved here recently. I want to lead by example and help educate Pakeha as ignorance, breeds contempt and disrespect.

Katrina

I long to learn more of my maori being. Especially as a wahine who was born in 1972. To be able to learn te reo, so I can share it with my tamariki & whanau. This will keep me & our babies, mokopuna connected to our whenua, awa moana that we are able to carry the Mauri of all our Tupuna before us. I feel this is very important for the future.

Katrina

As a kiwi teacher, it is important for me to share our NZ culture with our tamariki.

Katrina

Its apart of who i am my culture my childrens legacy i love the reo i try to teach my children as much as can. We sing maori songs all the time too my children love the songs and re involved in kapa haka also.

Katrina

…. . because together we can make the world a better place

Katja

As Pakeha person I want to honour Te Tiriti and live in partnership with tangata whenua to the best of my knowledge and ability. Using te reo is part of that.

Katie

Important for the next generation to keep our history alive. And share and experience the Maori culture.

Katie

Learning te Reo for me has been more than just about a language but about learning a way of thinking about the world!

Katie

te reo Māori is apart of Aotearoa and I'm apart of Aotearoa

Katie

Commitment to the journey . . .

Kathryn

I’m an NZ English speaker, but Te reo is the language that says “NZ” and home to me. We use te reo words at so many important moments and for the most important things in life - Kia kaha , aroha, whanau. My wish is that the reo continues to grow strong.

Katherine

We are all New Zealanders and belong to this beautiful place. We are connected not just to the Earth below us and the sky above but to the history that is imbued within. The Maori people and Te Reo language are part of our foundation and I'd like to share my pride in that by supporting the everyday use of Te Reo.

Katherine

It is important that we as New Zealanders at least TRY the first language here. I DO try to say place names etc as correctly as I can and can at least say Hi and how are you! ! ! (and reply) kanui te pai. ! ! ! !

Kath

i am maori and we need to be united as a people this is a good way to do that

Katie

To incorporate Te Reo into my daily practice working at the hospital.

Kate

Te Reo Māori is a taonga and should be treated as such by all of Aotearoa. I am a Kindergarten teacher and so it is a responsibility and passion to ensure Te Ao Māori is woven throughout my philosophy, pedagogy and way of life. Ngā mihi Nui, Kate

Kate

He iti te mokoroa, nāna i kakati te kahikatea.

Kate

I want to learn as much as possible, and help normalise speaking te reo in New Zealand everyday conversations.

Kate

Being part Māori and not knowing the reo has made me kinda sad that we don’t cherish our language. I want to start learning and speaking like our ancestors

Kate

It is important for NZ identity.

Kate

I travel alot around NZ, alot of rural places i would like to be able to speak and hold pride that i know Te Reo. To show a Aussie can do it to, its not that hard.

Kat

I feel that I should know more about NZ's second language and our heritage.

Karyn

I support te reo Māori and Māori culture in Aotearoa and want it to be part of everyday life. Te reo Māori and Māori culture are unique to Aotearoa. They are a taonga. We should look after them. They are important to us as a nation and our place in the world. I also believe language learning is valuable in itself and should be part of schooling from a young age, as a way to support diverse thinking and openness about different cultures.

Karren

I think as many people as possible in New Zealand should be trying to learn our national language. The blog post slug for this story is: karlina_-_new_plymouth

Karlina

Kia kaha tatou mo o tatou mokopuna.

Karleen