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'

To connect with, understand and honor the first peoples of this whenua and to show my tamariki how we can all grow together.

Te Reo Māori is the 1st language of Aotearoa. Language is the cornerstone of culture and Te Ao Māori. I have supported all my children and mokopuna to have te Reo Māori as one of their languages.

Kia Ora, My why is because I want to reconnect with my roots, my whānau back home and have my tamariki immersed in the Reo as I wasn't. My why is my whakapapa, my tamariki, my whare tapa wha.

kia ora The last few years I've had a deep regret not learning Maori growing up and want to make the change today to be able to connect to myself and my whakapapa better and I believe taking this course will help me do that. I want to be able to speak my native tongue confidently and proudly. Not just make myself proud but my loved ones to present and passed

My aspiration is to be able to Karanga, have conversations with others i te reo maori and to fulfil my obligations on the Marae,

Time is unfortunately coming to an end for my kaumatua in my whanau, , and it's time for my generation to step up , to be the kaikorero to be the kaikaranga etc. My father is Tuhoe hard from Ruataahuna, , so I'm doing this for me and to represent my whanau

I want to speak on my marae, and wherever possible

I grew up in a family that had hidden their whakapapa out of shame. No one would tell us about our tupuna or what iwi we came from it was all very hush hush. My cousins and I were determined to find our way back. We each enrolled at Te Wananga and started learning te reo. It helped us to read and understand our whakapapa charts. Slowly we started to reclaim this part of ourselves that had been hidden from us. We did it so our kids would know who they are and where they come from. Now what was a struggle for us, comes so naturally for them.

Growing up as a fair looking Māori and disconnected from my Māori heritage on my mother's side had a real impact on how I felt within our world and how I saw myself. As a young girl I naturally gravitated to wanting to speak Te Reo and do Kapa Haka. Now a mother myself I am on a journey to reconnect with all things Te ao Māori for my tamariki and my future mokos. Knowing and understanding your own whakapapa is super important to overall wellbeing.

I am at the young age of 59 and have been on my Te reo hareanga for about 3 years. . Doing a little bit ako every day. I was never brought up Te reo. It was just the world back than. But since being on my hiko it as be ātaahua. I would love to be able to kōrero Māori kotahi rā. .

I'm an Early Childcare Kaiako and I would love to incorporate more Te Reo into my learning journey as well as my centre.

I want the language of my tipuna spoken in my home so my moko can grow up speaking it and pass it on to the next generation

My why is to feel whole. I have always felt somethig is missing from my life and lost, but when I sing, listen, and speak the little Maori that I know for a moment I feel whole again. I want that everyday. I want to bring it back into my family, I want my future kids to know te reo maori. I want to be an good example for my nieces and nephews.

Tipu mai awau i Rangitukia, I taua wa kaore nei koe i rongo i te reo Pakeha, me haere ki te Kura, ki te toa ranei rongo ai taua reo. I au i te kura o Rangitukia ko te reo Maori tetahi o aku tino marau. Na wai ra ka whakakorengia e te tumuaki. Mai te tau 1993 tae noa ki tenei ra Kua noho awau hei kaiako reo Maori anake. Mauriora whanau!

I am a kiwi who left NZ 30 years ago. I've recently returned and am teaching in a high school. I want to be able to pronounce my student's names correctly, sing the school waiata and understand more of the ceremonies held at school.

Over the years i have started, dropped off and then restarted again my reo journey. As I do not have speakers at home or within my work, I now know that i need to engage more with the reo through written, audio and books, t. v. These resources are now more readily avaiable and I am confident that I will have the support to whakapakari tōku reo.

For a better understanding of what it means to be Maori.

The land and the earth is directly connected to the feet we walk on. We are nature. In order to understand the Indigenous community and culture better, I wanted to learn for the betterment of connection and sustainability.

I would like to learn Te Reo Maori to connect me to the land of my birth. To help me to understand Maori Tanga. To allow me investigate seeing the world and the land in which I live now through tikanga Maori.

To bring back the Reo in my whanau and for my unborn mokopuna.

I'm an educator, and I am on a journey. A journey where I'm uncomfortable but learning. I'm learning so I can understand more deeply my part and where I fit to help with the changes that are improving Aotearoa, as the special bicultural place that it is. A place where both my own children and the ākonga I work with are empowered to be part of the change and "see" a different NZ.

Speaking my native tongue is more than just words; it's a connection to my roots, to my ancestors who paved the way before me. It embodies the wisdom and spirit passed down through generations, keeping alive the essence of who we are and where we come from. In our language, we find not only a means of communication but a pathway to our cultural heritage, our spiritual beliefs, and our deepest connections to the earth and sky. It links us to Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother who cradles us, and Ranginui, the Sky Father who watches over us, weaving us into the fabric of the universe. Through our native language, we join hands with indigenous tribes across time and space, sharing spiritual gifts and treasures that transcend borders and span the cosmos. It is a beacon of light that guides us from darkness, empowering us to pass on this sacred knowledge to future generations who will carry our legacy forward. Speaking our native tongue is not just a choice; it is a profound affirmation of our identity, our heritage, and our divine connection to all that surrounds us. It is a testament to resilience, a celebration of unity, and a testament to the enduring power of our cultural legacy. "Our language guides and empowers our Tamariki and Mokopuna to express themselves freely and genuinely in their Kōrero. As TUPUNA, it is our sacred duty to safeguard and nurture them through this transformative journey. Let us embrace our role with love, wisdom, and unwavering support, ensuring they blossom into their fullest potential, unencumbered by hidden agendas. Together, we create a future where their voices shine bright and true. "

To better understand the Māori heritage of this land I call home

Ko au te reo, ko te reo ko au.

Ko oku tupuna, ko aku tamariki, ko tatou tenei te tino take nei.

I have lived in this (my new) country since 1960 - time to learn the language. ! !

My journey started when I asked my hubby how is he so grounded in who he is. He replied " I guess it helps knowing that I'm Samoan. I know my people, I know the language and I know where I'm from. Knowing this makes me feel connected". This inspired me, and my hubby encouraged me to learn my reo, and what I got in return was amazing and filled me with so much aroha and passion for our people and culture. Now, I want to help bring reo Mâori into our whanau, and normalise it for our future mokopuna. There's so much to gain and share ❤️

I can think of so many 'whys' that it's better to just say why not?

Ko te reo Māori te reo ake o Aotearoa, ā, ki a au nei he reo rangataira, he reo ātaahua. Kia kaha, akona te reo Māori.

Language and culture are deeply intertwined, reflecting our connection to the land and our distinct identity within Aotearoa. Joining the movement is my way of contributing to the resilience and revitalization of te reo Māori,

As an immigrant to New Zealand, and as a teacher, I feel it is important to understand te ao and te reo Maori.

To bring the reo back to our whānau.

For my Tamariki and Mokopuna

Mō tōku whānau! ! Ki te kore ahau e toha atu kia rātou, me pēwhea rātou e mōhio ko wai, ko whea rātou?. . Nā reira. . mā rātou

Get back to my roots to understand who we are and where we come from.

To connect to my ancestors and express my feelings in my own language

Kia ora! Ko Rebecca toku ingoa. I am a primary school kaiako (teacher) and I'm wanting to up my korero in all areas of my life - especially with my roopu at my kura! I've got heaps of reo words in my vocab but I don't know how to string a sentence together! Keen to learn what I can!

Aotearoa is my kāinga now. I think that it is crucial for me to learn te reo Maori to show my respect for Māoritanga and the people. Kia kaha!

I am learning to be unapologetically Māori, embracing who I am. Of being Māori. Joyce

I am 76 years old, the mātāmua and tuākana of thirteen siblings and with the shortage of kaumātua to sit on the taumata of our marae, I feel right now the need to fullfil my resposibility as the Mātāmua, as the Tuākana and kaumatua to learn te reo me ōna tikanga so that I can give back to our marae and community .

To find ME and love everything about how i become, so i can be the best version of me and pass it down to my kids

For me and my children - te reo Māori is a gift for every New Zealander - and it is a beautiful language.

Te Reo Māori is one of many beautiful languages in the World. Unfortunately, for my whānau the older ones who spoke Te Reo Māori took it with them to their grave. I have the opportunity to encourage a change in this regard by learning it & sharing it. I have successfully guided my 2 tama ages 30 & 28 to kōrero Māori & have further opportunity to do so with my mokopuna.

I want to hold on to the legacy left by our tuupuna to give a legacy to my uri.

Tangohia mai te taura I taku ka kī kia a waiata au I taku waiata

Ki te haeretahi ki paeraawhiti raa

To connect with my whakapapa

Kei te ako au mō āku Tamariki

Kia Ora , ko wai tēnei e Tū take nei , he uri no Ngati Porou , Tauranga Moana. He nui aku kōrero e noho ana ki raro i te kaupapa Te Reo Maori . I timata ake au ki te Kohanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi , kātahi ka huri ake te tai ki te Kura o Te Ngaengae ki te ruma rūmaki māori , whai atu ki te Kura o Te Ara Whānui Kura Kaupapa Māori o ngā Kohanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi . Kua tipu nei au ki raro i ngā tikanga maha o Te Ao Māori

What is my why? My why is our tamariki, they are the next generation. They are the ones who make us who we are.

Learning journey is ongoing.

Kia ora. I am on a journey that enables me to achieve my long-term goal of conversing with other whanau and friends in Te Reo Maori.

I believe Te Reo is important because when one thrives we all thrive

It’s important for me to learn and to be able to teach my children

work in a school with great Tamariki, paddle Waka Ama

I am a 53 yr old and growing up with a very European NZ up bringing but connected through marriage ancestry to Rapaki Marae always had me wanting to know more. But nothing around me growing up supported that. But now I see as the last Labour government pushed forward with honoring the learning of NZ histories in schools and bringing forth Maori language into government organisations with the names being in both English and Maori. This hearted me as I have got to learn over the years the importance of preserving such Taonga is a big part of NZ having a true cultural identity, embracing Maori practices that can help our communities and not have them breaking down as they have been for the past 30yrs. So I am now strengthening my Te Reo and knowledge to help support a more authentic identity of NZ come forth and become more of our every day ways and learnings. Thank you for all the support and care to help me learn. Nga mihi nui.

As a kiwi living away from Aotearoa, continuing my journey with Te Reo is important to me.

I grew up in an time where the general consensus was "what use is your Maoritanga and your language, how will it help in this modern world?" My grandparents and elders spoke Maori only. My parents, aunties, uncles, older brothers, sisters, and cousins spoke both English and Maori. I could only speak a few words, but not enough to converse confidently with my Koro and Kuia.

As a kaiako I need to be able to embrace te ao Māori

As a primary school teacher, the significance of the Maori language resonates profoundly with me. From the enchanting melodies of waiata to the powerful expressions of kapa haka, I've always had a profound love for the richness of the Maori language and its cultural practices. It's more than just a language; it's a conduit for preserving centuries-old traditions and fostering a sense of belonging. I'm committed to immersing myself in Tikanga Maori, not just for personal enrichment but also to impart its wisdom and values to my students. Education isn't just about imparting knowledge; it's about nurturing empathy, understanding, and respect for diverse cultures. By incorporating the Maori language and Tikanga into my teaching, I believe I can empower my students to embrace inclusivity and celebrate the beauty of our cultural tapestry.

I NEED to do this for my myself and whānau. Mid 50s and realise I should not had procrastinated when young as the younger generation are speaking fluently around me and no clue as to what they are saying. I NEED to get off my butt and get going. . .

Because language is the oldest method of storytelling, connection, friendship, humour and love. Everyone deserves to learn and speak their language and share it with the people they care about.

My personal journey has given me a sense of belonging to my whakapapa and so I can pass this down to my son when he is ready to go on his journey I will be able to give him some guidance and to make him feel proud of who he is.

I need to try and learn this as i feel on the outer as a NZ’der talking to others

My “Why” will definitely be my Whānau and future generations to come. If I don’t learn our native language and pass it on, how will my children and their children learn? I’d prefer to teach them myself.

I fell in love with the beautiful country of New Zealand when we came on our honeymoon 5 years ago. I am an 8th grade teacher in New Jersey, United States and I choose New Zealand as our country for our multicultural week. I want to be able to share with my students this beautiful language and the importance that it has for the Maori people. I love hearing it and speaking it! Thank you for sharing it.

I’m from England and have chosen to make Aotearoa my family’s home. It’s important to me that we learn te Reo to honour the culture and history of this land.

I am working as a nurse in an Aged Care facility - also as an educator. I am NZ born and lived nearly 40 adult years in the UK. Have returned to Aotearoa and wish to begin learning the language that had been pushed away when I was at school. I need to be able to pronounce and learn correctly in order to be respectful in my place of work, observing Te Tirito o Waitangi, and to be able to teach others whose first language is not even English. This is a start. . . .

Tini whetu ki te rangi ko Rangitāne ki te whenua! “I ōku nei whakaaro i runga tenei kaupapa whakahirahira, te piki ake, te kimihia a mātou reo māori, te reo o tātou tūpuna” To leave a legacy for my decendants my Whakapapa, I can stand confidently in knowing who i am, and where i am from, to express my thoughts, in te reo māori and connecting with others. Sharing this matauranga with in hapu & Iwi spaces, inspiring other whānau on the journey to learning Te reo māori me ngā tikanga. .

Learning Tikanga and Reo Māori is my way of participating in Te Tiriti o te Waitangi.

Iv lived in Australia since I was 9, I am now 20 years old and being so far from Aotearoa, Iv grown to be so proud and very interested in learning about my culture. I want to to learn te reo so I can to keep our language alive in hopes that one day I can pass this on to my children.

To keep the Reo alive and for my mokopuna to learn about part of their culture .

It is my language, my mana.

I have been in nursing for 27 years and recently joining Maori Primary Health Organisation. It is my initiatives and inspirational for me to learn Te Reo Maori so that I can converse with colleague and whanau who is fluent in Te Reo. It will make me proud to be one non Maori to be able to speak Te Reo without offence or hesitation.

It's my language my mana.

To uphold the mana of my tūpuna. Mā ngā tūpuna o apōpō nōki!

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I love the language and culture. I want to continue learning Maori for myself and to teach it to others and I am happy that this honours part of the treaty

I want to communicate with Maori in a respectful way

I am ashamed to say I haven’t used my te reo for a very very long time. I was always having to apologise if people didn’t understand but I would love to see te reo normalised. Why would anyone be ashamed of being unique in the world? So what if no where else in the world speaks it… it is a part of us, a part of why people come to NZ, it is the unwritten story of NZ that has been passed down through the years

I am a kiwi born in Christchurch but moved to Australia when I was young with my parents, the rest of my family are in New Zealand.

I'm a nursing student and it will be so beneficial to my studies and career if even I just learn the basics. I am excited to get started.

As an Aotearoa/ New Zealand educator, I see it as vital that I take steps to learn our indigenous language. In a broad way, it will allow me to better understand and support our ākonga Māori, while allowing me to engage with whānau, hapū and iwi to work towards better learning outcomes for Māori. This is part of my effort as a kaiako to address the negative statistics of Māori in education. This is a big reason why I entered teaching when I did. Te ao Māori is woven into the Māori language, and so it is a taonga and a tool for Māori to preserve their sovereignty. We must be open to learning te reo Māori in order to ensure its survival - so that it may run strong for future generations Finally, as a part wahine Māori, it is an endeavour for me to better connect with my own Māori heritage. I know my tipuna would be proud to see this. Arohamai.

We lost Te Reo in our family a couple of generations ago, we want to insure that our next generation has it as their first language

Need to learn te REO it's who I am. I want to speak out loud and proud and once I learn I will then speak fully to teach my whanau at home

I want to learn more for my children to be able to know more about their dads side and educate myself to help educate them

This is my new home and I want to understand the culture, tikanga and reo of my new friends. I also want to be able to be confident in Te Reo in my practice as a teacher and pass a love of it onto my akonga.

I want to speak te reo Māori naturally within our whare and community for my tipuna, for my mokos, for my tamariki and for myself kia mau te reo Māori

Kia Ora

I feel it is crucial for people inhabiting a place that is not their own, to learn basic language, history, arts and culture to better appreciate the land and people and also learn more about who they are.

I want to speak the language to engage with those who don't speak English but are New Zealanders just like me.

Kia ora e te iwi

I think is important to know the owners of the land that I'm living on, their vision, their culture, so we can understand better. I'm Argentinian but my parents are Japanese, so an amalgam of cultures. I always want to learn Te Reo, something just itches on me to know more. I started last year on my first steps. I think everyone that lives in these lands need to know more about it.

I have lived and worked in several countries, and have always sought to be influenced by their culture and language as this makes my world larger. I need regular reminders and encouragement to keep this process also happening here, in my home country, my turangawaewae.

Kia ora! Nau mai, haere mai! Welcome to iĀko Māori E-Learning Cultural Competency. We are a digital platform to lift and shift cultural capability and create a space where everyone can learn. Mission is to Awaken Your Māori Cultural Competency The purpose of īAko Māori E-Learning Cultural Competency is to provide a platform for your kimchi | staff to learn and develop their understanding of Māori culture, traditions, language, and values through electronic means. E-Learning offers a flexible and accessible way for people to engage with the content at their own pace and convenience. We are proudly Māori owned and operated from the beautiful Aotearoa, New Zealand. Mauri ora https://www. iakomaori. nz/

I want to be able to learn te reo and share what I learn with others

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We were proud to learn this new waiata as a kura especially for te wā tuku reo Māori. We love the message with the kupu about the importance te reo Māori. This is something that we treasure all year round, not just for te wiki o te reo Māori - He taonga te reo Māori. We will continue to strive to further our journey as a kura to learn te reo Māori.

The last time I heard te reo Maori fluently was from my Papa. I was 5 years old when he passed away. He was my only connection to the old world, to the world of te reo. I am now fifty years old and I have a dream to speak fluent te reo Maori. My Papa only spoke te reo, I never heard him speak English. I only every heard him speak te reo Maori, that sound has alway stayed with me inside. It is time. Oh how I wish I had my papa to korero with. I have a mokopuna now and I want to be able to korero with my moko in te reo, fluently. This is my why.