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'
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

As I want to make Te Reo Maori a bigger part of our Kura

Graeme

I wish I spoke every language!

Nick

I am a mother and a Primary School teacher. My first Language is English. My second language, which I began studying at 20, is Japanese. My third, which I began studying at 30, is Spanish and my fourth will be Te Reo Maori, which I began studying in my forties. I want my six year old son's second language to be Te Reo Maori. I feel this is important for him as a New Zealander to be able to go out into the world being able to speak both English and Te Reo Maori. When I went out into the world at 20 I regretted that I couldn't speak Te Reo Maori. It is such a beautiful, rich, poetic language. It is a taonga for us all to learn and treasure.

Katrina

Kia tautokona te tino rangatiratanga o te iwi Māori e tēnei o ngā uri o te Pākehā

Melissa

Respect the language!

Felicity

I am a kaiako and a whānau form class teacher, 3 years in NZ. I love learning te reo and tikanga and sharing my matauranga with students and staff I work with.

Because, although Pākehā I am privileged to be learning to kōrero i te Reo Rangatira. Nōku te whiwhi. Also, I care deeply about the Reo being treasured and retained.

Te maumaharatanga a te hikoi a Whaea Whina wha tekau o nga tau kua hipa.

Te Rangi

Connecting to the past and being able to pass that connection onto my future generations.

Sueann

My why is the mere fact that our tupuna fought to save our culture after colonization. My Nana was a part of the Kohanga Reo movement, and I was one of the first tamariki to come through Te Kauhanga Kohanga Reo back in 1985. So, after my Nana passed away, I always had her drive to continue on her legacy and whakakaha tātou katoa ki te korero, ki te ako I te reo Māori.

Waitonga

I’m so proud and blessed to be a kiwi and I feel part of that is learning the language that is such a big part of what makes us unique. It should be celebrated!

I am Tangata Whenua and I love our Reo, it is beautiful, so I want to promote our beautiful language far and wide. I want to encourage others to use te reo. I hate hearing mispronunciation of our reo, so I am happy to challenge with aroha. I am a bicultural educator committed to honouring our reo in te ao pakeha. They (Pakeha) don't have to speak to reo, just pronounce it properly, at a minimum.

Justine

I am Tangata Whenua and I love our Reo, it is beautiful, so I want to promote our beautiful language far and wide. I want to encourage others to use te reo. I hate hearing mispronunciation of our reo, so I am happy to challenge with aroha. I am a bicultural educator committed to honouring our reo in te ao pakeha. They (Pakeha) don't have to speak to reo, just pronounce it properly, at a minimum.

Justine

cas I am a kiwi and it is the language of the land and it is important to save it

vicki

Mo nga mokopuna te take

Mona

Kia whakapiki te taumata o taku reo.

Jared

Because where I work they constantly pronounce Te Reo wrong. . . Majority of our Client base is Maori. Our workforce isnt. It pains me and other Maori kaimahi every day that our beautiful Maori names get butchered constantly.

Daryl

My WHY is to keep the language alive through all cultures.

Hinemoa

Our why is because our organisations' values are wana - passion, haepapa - responsibility and aroha - compassion. We are responsible for ensuring that Aotearoa's national language is kept alive and is valued.

Stephanie

Playfulness is my number one personal value and te reo maori is such a rich vein for wordplay and double meaning.

Amber

Maori is cool! !

June

For my tamariki!

Maori language must survive, and I want to be a part of making it happen

I want to set an example for my Kuta and lead by learning Te Reo

Belinda

Though I am not fluent in te reo, I am very proud to be Maori.

Sharon

I want to learn

Hera

I am learning te Reo Maori as my Children and Grandchildren are now learning the language.

Ka ora te reo i ngā kaikōrero o te reo Māori

I think te reo Māori is the most beautiful language in te ao and I value my partnership through Te Tiriti o Waitangi and as a kaiako in the early childhood sector I honour and cherish te reo every time I use our kaupapa Māōri curriculum Te Whāriki.

Roxy

All languages are important. They are shaped by and shape the world view of their speakers. It's too easy to just stick to what we know so I want to challenge myself to learn Te Reo and see what happens. And yes, I want Te Reo to survive.

Barbara

It is important to encourage tamariki and ako to use te reo daily- not just during maori language week. For me that means gaining confidence and making it part of my daily day.

I started learning te reo Māori and everything about your culture in april, because of a waiata. Nō Huiterangi au, so it is not easy to learn on my own but it is worth it

Jaci

I want to pass on our ancestors language to my tamariki. I asked for my birthday this year to have Te Reo Maori lessons (basic) as I don't know much of my language. Now I am on this ride I want to keep it up and ensure our future (including my own) continue to learn. Ka maute wehi.

To help promote te reo o Aotearoa

Katrina

As kaiako we have a part to play in maintaining and up skilling the tereo Maori of our tamariki

janelle

There wasn't a lot of te reo (if any) taught at my schools, and after almost a decade overseas I'd lost almost everything I did know. My goal is to learn a couple of new te reo words each week that I can integrate into my everyday language, with a focus on improving my pronunciation.

Amanda

Kāore i tua atu i te kaha rangona, i te kaha kitea o te reo hei whakatairanga, hei whakaū i te mana o te reo. E tino eke ana i te kaupapa Waka Reo ki te Aumoana ēnei āhuatanga e rua. E whai ana kia rere te reo Māori i roto i ngā āhuatanga katoa o te waka ama - ki uta, ki te wai, i ngā waha o ngā kaiako, o ngā kaihoe me ngā kaitautoko. Hei aha? Hei whakawhānui ake i te hapori reo Māori i roto i ngā mahi hākinakina Māori o te motu. Ko te waka ama tērā me ōna tīma 1700 nō ngā karapū 61 huri i uru ki ngā whakataetae ā motu. Anō hoki ko ngā kaihoe 1, 950 nō ngā kura tuarua 118 e uru ai ki ngā whakataetae kura tuarua ā motu. Koia nei tō tātou aroha nui mō te reo me te aroha hoki ki ngā kaihoe katoa huri noa i te motu. Hāpaitia te hoe, hāpaitia te reo! (he whakaahua o tō mātou mātanga reo a Hēni Jacob e mātakitaki ana, e whakarongo ana ki ngā kaihoe o te kaupapa nei).

Otaki Waka Hoe Charitable Trust

l want to be able to talk to my moko because they go to kohunga

I'm a pākehā in a colonised land. I'd really like to do anything I can to reinforce that tangata whenua are vital to the future of NZ.

Camilla

Why take part? It's simple I guess. We are a kindergarten kura kohungahunga of passionate kaiako, whānau, tamariki. We learn from and alongside of one another, and seek to share a sense of whānaugnatanga. A big part of what we are learning is about how to be kaitiakitanga, to show trusting manaakitanga amongst our whānau and wider community. We believe that nature truly is our teacher and initiatives such as this enable us to challenge our practice, to explore and expand our learning, and to celebrate te ao, te reo and tikanga Māori with mana.

If Te Reo was more integrated in learning at school during my upbringing I would of being able to keep it going and pass it onto my children. I've started an online course this year and plan to have my children grow up with it.

Tēnā tātou katoa, We want to help celebrate and promote Te Reo Māori within our kura environment, waiata is an easy way to do this. The space we are choosing to do this is in is our chapel. The picture included is of our Year 13 , 2019 Global Living Tikanga Programme and was taken an Rehua Marae.

Sherrilee

Our children are learning Maori as a second language and I think it is important that they know that Maori can, and should be spoken and used everyday. They will also be able to see other people speaking, listening to, writing, and/or reading Te Reo Maori and those people will not all be Maori and they won't all be at school, but coming from all walks of life. I would also like my children to know that it is cool to korero in maori and that they have a very unique opportunity to function at school, in Te Reo.

Tania

There are quite a few connections between te reo Māori and Vietnamese language that I find really interesting. As a primary teacher in NZ, I can understand how vital it is to maintain a learning environment immersed in Māori language in day to day life.