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'

Language is the waka of culture. No te reo no Maori.

Rosa

To remind myself that being pākēha means honouring Te Tiriti, celebrating Te Reo and actively being anti-racist. He waka eke noa.

Cheryl

It is a beautiful language and I try to use Maori words that I know. it instills a sense of pride in myself that I try. it makes me feel respectful.

Cheryl

Celebrate Te Reo Maori Promote everyday use

Cheryl

As a Christian school, we believe that there is power in unity when we come together in praise / worship. The lyrics of 'Wairua Tapu' welcome the Holy Spirit and we strongly believe in the guidance of and partnership with the Holy Spirit, so knew this would be a perfect opportunity to sing together.

Chermayne

This is my culture and it is now my time to embrace and learn it.

Cherie

If New Zealand had abided by the principles of the Titiri o Waitangi we would be a bilingual nation. Our school is working towards becoming an 'English Medium bilingual school' - where students can converse in English and Maori fluently. We need to support Maori to take back the ground lost with anti-Maori language laws, that saw generations lose Te Reo. This initiative lifts the visibility of Te Reo and highlights the mahi we need to do, to develop Te Reo as a national, treasured taonga.

Cherie

Valuing and respecting our first language

Cherida

To teach myself and my students more about the native language of NZ!

Chelsea

It important for me to be involved because I wish to be more connected to my culture and language so in the future I can teach my son about who he is and where he comes from. I also hope to audition to perform with a roopu at Te Matatini but I’m afraid of judgements that I’m not fluent in Te Reo.

Chatia

It's important to me that my baby learns to live in balance with both worlds. I was disconnected to Te Ao Maori growing up and I try my best to revive that lost connection.

Nelly

To motivate me to carry on with my haerenga to fluency in te reo Māori.

Charmaine

Connect to our culture and to help allowing my kids to connect and identify to theirs.

Charmaine

Kei te haere ahau i te haerenga kite ako i te reo Māori

Charlie

My reason is a bit selfish but my up bringing was more of the pakeha way with my mother a fluent speaker but not allowed to speak te reo māori at school or home. So she told me that speaking te reo māori will never get me a job and that is why she never passed it down. Now I see and hear so many wanting to learn my given right of my reo and I need to learn and make sure that I have earned that right to learn and to let my mother know that “it is ok to kōrero māori at school! at home! Any where we want” Mauri ora

Whaea Char

my son in learning the reo an i want nothing more then to be there along his journey, it's beautiful that even though i don't know alot my aroha for the reo has grown so much.

Charlee

He tino kaupapa hohonu tēnei ki au. Ki te whakapiki I tō tātou reo rangatira kia whakamāoritia tō tātou reo hoki.

Chardonei

Language is taonga. I am enjoying learning more te reo and the way meaning is built up in the sounds.

Chantal

I was inspired by how embracing and inclusive of nature the Maori culture is, I wanted to get deeper into how that is integrated with their language and starting taking some te reo Maori courses last year - found the language simply beautiful,

Celia

It's apart of our history, a culture that should be kept alive and beautiful way to stay in touch with the people who saw value in every part of Aotearoa. We should embrace Maori culture and learn from it.

Because my father came here from Rarotonga and was not allowed to speak his own language. Therefore my brother and I missed out and are both trying to learn te reo in lieu of having our own reo.

Tarsh

Each year I grow in my te reo, tikanga and keen interest in Maori world view. I work from home and often in Australia so it is difficult to be in learning groups. On line helps. Nga mihi nui

Cathy

I'm a NZ'er. Maori culture and Te Reo is important to me.

Cathy

I am half Maori half pakeha but I identify more with my Maori Side.

Cathy

Maori reo and tikanga is very much part of our NZ culture in which we need to make sure to keep this taonga very much alive. Maori Spirituality plays a big part in the Tapu and Mana of all tangata/people of Aotearoa especially through a Catholic perspective.

Catherine

Māori is the key language in NZ and as a teacher I think it’s vital that we not only celebrate in schools, but teach it.

Catherine

It is an opportunity to be a part of something meaningful and special :-)

Cath

If not here then where? If not now then when? Ko te reo TE reo ātaahua o tēnei whenua - whakanuia!

Casey

Casey

It's necessary.

Carrie

I love Te Reo and that it is our indigenous language I have learnt basic Te Reo and it is a beautiful language

Carolyn

Just agree that we need to know more and use te reo more

Carolyn

I want to be part of making it normal to kōrero Māori. My whakapapa includes Te Atiawa & Ngai Tahu but I grew up with no contact with a marae. Now my daughter & daughter-in-law are learning & all my tamariki want our mokopuna to grow up with the taonga of te reo

Caroline

Caroline

Caroline

I want to learn more and teach my own tamariki

Caroline

Te two Māori is the language we turn to whenever we need comfort and strength. It is ours and we need to keep speaking it.

Caroline

Caroline

As a start I really want to understand the meaning of place names of our country and to be able to say these names correctly and respectfully. I'd love to be able to have conversations in Maori and in the process gain more understanding of a Maori worldview that might help me to feel more comfortable in Maori settings rather than shy away.

Caroline

Te Reo Māori is Aotearoa's language, we should all embrace and celebrate it The blog post slug for this story is: carole_-_auckland

Carole

He taonga te reo. I want to tautoko the slow journey to make it widespread in Aotearoa.

Carol

It's the first human language of our country and sits alongside the many languages of our native animals.

Carol

To know the language is to know the culture.

Carol

To inspire our younger generations 💚💛💙 The blog post slug for this story is: carol_-_gisborne

Carol

To help promote equity in Aotearoa

Carol

Te Reo is very Important and we need to make sure the culture, heritage, and language endures. It is part of us, and we have to fight to keep it that way. .

Carol

I’m learning te reo!

Carmel

I'd love to learn more as im new to this beautiful country

Carla

It's important to honour the treaty by everyone in NZ embracing the Reo and culture that makes us NZ.

Carla

Because its apart of my culture

Cara

It is important to me because I am māori and an Ece teacher, I want to help keep it alive ! X

Cara

Being a part of the campus

Canary

For the future of my identity and also my tamariki

Camryn

To celebrate Te Reo Maori with my students

camilla

To share in Maori culture better with my little brother

Cameron

I love to connect with my maoridom

Cameron

The language was robbed from Maori for many years, collectively as a country it is our duty to make way for it to thrive again.

Callie

Kia kaha.

Caleb

It's important to respect our native language (Caleb, 9 years).

Caleb

It is important for myself to take part as I am studying to be a Primary Teacher and the Māori language needs more recognition in society today. I am doing my part in starting by learning more Te Reo Māori

Caitlyn

I have always had a passion for learning more about Te Reo Maori and sharing this knowledge as a teacher. I think it is so important in New Zealand to teach our tamariki about our indigenous culture. It is so easy to integrate into all areas of the curriculum and I have seen first hand how this engages and excites Maori students in education as we are embracing them and their knowledge.

Caitlin

Expansion of our culture,

Brya

Our Maori language is so very important to all New Zealanders, and should be made easily available to us all - starting with early learning at Kura. A strong powerful language that links us all so strongly to our future here in Aotearoa.

Bruce

I am a descendant of Māori yet have no links to a culture that is inherently mine. My nana grew up thinking that it was shameful to be Māori and never told people that she was (she was light skinned) and never wanted to learn. She died still feeling this way. For me it is important to learn not only te Reo but to restore my anscestors mana and also teach my children.

Brooke

Kia rongo te ao e ora ana tō tātou reo. Kia noho te reo māori hei reo matua o tenei tōna ake whenua

Bronwyn

To learn more about language and culture

Bron

I would love to speak Te reo Maori as another language & keep it alive.

Brigitte

Strengthen the māori language in New Zealand!

Brie

Being a NZ born Cook Islander - I had studied Te Reo since college and a couple of years at university. When you don’t have the platform to kōrero Māori ia rā ia rā, it’s hard to keep your Te Reo up! So, I try to text in Te Reo to my Māori speaking mates, use phrases in emails, listen to our Whānau during our Zui (zoom/hui), just trying my best to keep my own Te Reo up when I can!

Bridget

- to use what we've learned with in te reo lessons - to promote te reo and highlight resources and opportunities to engage further with the native language of Aotearoa as active Treaty partners

Bridget

because of my daughter she is the future and I want her to be immersed in te reo. Also te ao maori reminds me of my kuia who is now in the heavens

Bridget Maria

I want to support speaking Maori as a normal part of being a Kiwi.

Bridget

To keep te reo alive and THRIVING

Briana

because my kids are māori

Brian

I believe we need to preserve and promote this essential part of our heritage

Brian

Because I am Maori from Ngai Tuhoe and Te Whanau a Apanui and wish to learn more Te Reo Maori.

Brendon

Live the mahi

Brendan

Because I need to, I have been too afraid to use my own reo, and it has almost flown away. I cant let that happen.

Brenda

To support our Te Reo Maori throughout the rohe

Ruma 14 Te Kura Takawaenga o Kaitaia

As Maori is one of our homeland languages I would like to learn more, I know basics but keen on learning more and what better time to start than Maori language week

Brenda

Because Maori is part of my culture and my identity, and I want to be able to take part in everything. It's also very important to show support to those who created and know the stories of who made these lands.

Te Reo is a vital part of our culture and country as a whole, without we cease to be what we are

Bradley

I believe it is important to be able to understand the language of our whakapapa.

Brad

To acknowledge Te reo

Bonnie

I believe it is the heart ofNZ

Bonnie

Our language is our identity. It belongs to us! Lets celebrate it!

Bobi

I have recently begun learning Te Reo

Bobby

Because our language needs to thrive or else it will be lost.

Bianca

Because i want to grow my knowledge.

Bianca

Because Te reo Māori I believe is the gate to many other aspects of māoridom

Bevan

We value our heritage and although we do as much as we can everyday, focusing on one day and highlighting it's importance should remind Tamariki and whanau of who they are, where they come from and why they are here.

BestStart Montessori Johnsonville

We honor bi-cultural practice in many ways and treasuring Te reo Maori is a daily element we share with the tamariki in our centre.

BestStart Inglewood

I am proud to be part Maori and believe that nz takes advantage of our culture so why not embrace it, , talk the talk so walk the walk

Bernard

Te reo is the first language of aotearoa new Zealand and should be learnt and spoken by everybody. Te reo needs to be protected and respected

Bernadette

We need to keep the language alive!

Elizabeth

I’ve been back in my hometown Tikitiki (SH35, two hours north of Gisborne) for three years and one I’ve noticed here is the love of Te Reo and The fluency our kaumatua and other generations that live here have. I have also grown a bit more confident since I have returned home, the only problem is I have no one in my house to korero Maori to. I am attending the free reo classes for men that happen here and I would like to show just what I’ve learnt so far.

Ben

This is the ONLY place in the world where te ao Māori can thrive. . . . . it's up to us to make it happen. It's up to us to be the role models for our tamariki! It's up to us to be the change we want to see in the world!

Ben

I'm not Maori but I recognise it's the first language of this country and we need to teach our tamariki in NZ to respect Maori, it's the first step to fixing the problems pakeha have caused.

Ben

As a beginning teacher I want to learn with my tamariki how to embed the language in my classroom

Charlotte

My Dad invited me and he is getting really good with his Te Reo. We are pakeha but keen to learn. Each bit helps us and others join in the journey.

Belinda

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

My Dad invited me and he is getting really good with his Te Reo. We are pakeha but keen to learn. Each bit helps us and others join in the journey.