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'

toni

We live in New Zealand and the native culture here is Maori.

Tohaline
Kathryn
ruby

I believe that all kiwis should embrace the history and culture of our nation.

Gemma

I have stated to learn Te Reo in my workplace (2 courses so far) and it is very important to know some Reo and tikanga for working in genuine partnership with Maori. Respect for the tangata whenua has been largely lacking so we need to rebuild together. So we need to learn from each other, and weave our knowledge baskets together.

Elizabeth
leanne

We're all actively learning, including our 5-year-old being in bi-lingual at school. Our agency is Māori-owned, so it's something we want to celebrate.

Kristin
Mary
Awhina
Debbie

E tika ana ki te whakanui i tētahi kaupapa e ngana ana ki te whakakotahi i ngā whakaaro nui ki Te Reo Māori me ōna āhuatanga katoa 👏. Ka mutu, he momo whakawhanaunganaunga i a tātou, te iwi o Aotearoa.

Ariana
Joanna
Laura
Abraham

I want others too experience it too

Yasmin
Monica
Gillian
Francis

In the past two years, I have completed a Tikanga course, and have been doing a Te reo course at my local marae.  

Julie

We have the responsibility to make Te Reo Māori thrives so that we sustain our culture and identity and give our future Tamariki/mokopuna a fighting chance to be unapologetically Māori and indigenous moving into the 22nd century.

Te Aomihia
Ani
Te Kōpū Mānia o Kirikiriroa Marae

I want to show the people that I work with the respect I have for the Maori Language along with the Tikanga Values that go with it, Hopefully this might encourage others to take part and have fun learning as well. Nga mihi nui.

Chris
Ken
Rihi

He mea poipoia ia ki te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, kia tū pakari ia ki tōna ao Māori. Mana Māori motuhake, tino rangatiratanga, he tohu aroha ki ōku tūpuna, ki ngā reanga o āpōpō hoki. He aroha mutunga kore

Maioha
Nic
Margaret

It should be grown and taught in every learning institution in Aotearoa. Needs to be a core subject in schools.

Dorothy
Karyn
Kowhai
Karen

Being 'one in a million' is such a unique opportunity and by taking part, we acknowledge the importance of Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa and commit to keeping the reo alive and thriving. Taking part in this moment could even create a ripple affect to those around us and encourage our whānau and friends to ako, whakarongo or kōrero, which could then encourage their whānau and friends and so on!

Olivia
Natasha

Besides my immediate whānau, everyone else in my whānau are Maori. It is a beautiful language and culture and I believe we have a lot to gain from celebrating te reo Māori. It brings us closer together and is important to make it fun. Te Reo Maori is apart of New Zealand and we need to do out part to keep it that way.

Taylah
deanna
Kathleen

Each year we celebrate with schools, and preschools participating. This year has presented unique challenges, and we hope that our online celebrations will inspire others to read, speak, learn, and sing Te Reo Māori. Our celebration will go live on Monday 14 September. For more information please go to: https://libraries. waimakariri. govt. nz/home https://www. facebook. com/waimakaririlibraries/

Jason

Without te reo the uniqueness that is us is lost not just for Maori but for the nation.

Ricky
Haimona
Doug
Stayc

I am on a personal journey of teaching and learning Te Reo. My Tupuna lived so I can be here today doing what I'm doing.

maurice
Kirsten
Vee
mauri
Cambell
Malia
Joyleen

I need to learn more about the people the language the history. It’s sometimes hard to find time in our every day and we need to make more of an effort individually and nationally. I love the idea all my friends known and unknown around NZ and the world will all be doing this together at the same time.

Alicia

Keep the language alive. Celebrate living in Aotearoa. Support my Māori colleagues and friends. Get educated

Debbie

By 2040 we want to have 1 million people to be able to speak maori. I also want to show and teach people how easy it is to put te reo maori into our daily lives.

Kate
Genevieve
Andrew
Deanna
Holly

He māori ahau.

Chase

Many of us have held so tightly to our own cultural traditions that our hands could not grasp the possibility that there was any other way to live or be.

Rachel

I grew up in a predominantly pakeha/European community and was the only Maori girl in my final year at high school. My parents both knew a little Maori but when they were young they would get the strap for speaking Maori at school so were forced to converse in English and lost their Reo. I have always wanted to learn and now that I am older, and have my own children, I would like to set a good example to them by speaking Te Reo more often. I am fortunate now to be working for a social service organisation that encourages Te Reo at work so I find I feel more comfortable to do the same at home. It is a work in progress but one day I hope to enroll in an immersion course.

Raina
Gabby
Kararaina
Nikita

I want to nurture them so my mokopuna can have a head start and love it too! Ko tō tātou reo he taonga i tākoha mai ki a tātou! Nō tātou te maringanui!

Marino

To help find our identity.

Che'elle
Hilda

It's important because the Western world has lost sight of the importance of diversity and also how the Māori culture is a leading indeginous culture of the world which alot of other cultures follow in their attempts to revitalise their own cultures. Māori are also a great treaty partner leader. The language and culture will never die and the sooner this is understood, the better for all involved.

Khan
Sherrie

I'm proud to be an Indian-Kiwi living in beautiful New Zealand which is now my home.

Aruna
Nicola

I want to role model learning Reo to my daughter and to my other friends and family. If I can do it anyone can!

Angela
Tiahuia
Matene

If we as early childhood teachers don’t continue to teach the language to our tamariki they will not get the opportunity to learn or experience it. By immersing our tamariki in te reo and te ao Maori in our environment we are encouraging the participation, protection and partnership of the Maori language and culture. It is so important for our children to learn te reo Maori in order to keep it alive for future generations.

Kathy

Because we feel it is essential to learn and understand, and be able to communicate in one of NZ's official languages, and to celebrate it's resurgence. . . We are also well aware that it is not just language but culture that we need to understand and encompass into our practice so that we are responsive appropriately to the people we serve in a way that is meaningful and respectful

Kristin

My whānau and whānau to come.

Jessie

I would like to have some basic Te reo to also korero and understand my tamariki as my boy is on kohanga and my girl is in Maori unit at primary. My husband is also fluent and I just know it will strengthen my identity as a Maori knowing my Reo as well.

Alisi

I am ECE teacher and want to learn Te reo Māori for my commitment towards biculturism.

Lynley

My tupuna and my future moko are my Y! ! ! !

Shani

Part of goals to achieve; have got it in me to speak te reo just need that extra push to get started.

Ko Taranaki toku iwi. Ka hiahia au ki korero Maori ai waihoki te mita o Taranaki. Kei te ako te reo Māori inaianei - kaupae ono ki Te Whare o Awanuiarangi ki Tamaki Makaurau. No reira kei te tangohia i ngā wananga katoa ki akoNgā mihi

Gail

To keep the language alive for future generations.

Te Reo Maori is New Zealand's native language from many years back. I want to be part of protecting this so that our next generation will take part in learning the language

Rachel

I am Maori and Cook Island Maori but have little knowledge and experience about the language and culture. I want to learn more.

to be respectful of the country I live

Maria

Currently on my journey of learning the reo

Cindy

On a journey to learn te reo:)

I want to continue to grow as a New Zealander.

To speak in the native tongue of my koroua

I want to learn the basics

I have a lot of my personal friends that are Maori and i work for a Maori organisation. It is good to know even if it means the basics of the maori language

Because I want to help preserve this beautiful language and culture. Its our taonga.

cos it's time :-) nga mihinui tatou

Getting my native tongue back.

I am indigenous and I am enlarging my identity.

My why is the future of our Reo.

Tui

Te reo Māori is the language of my people. It's a part of who I am, my connection to my tipuna. Te reo Māori means so much more. The English translation does not do it justice. Te reo involves mana, mauri and wairua. Tōku reo taku ohooho, tōku reo taku māpihi maurea!

Stacey