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'

Being a pakeha New Zealander it is important for me to have some ability to speak some te reo to try and have a greater understanding of tangata whenua. Maori is a beautiful language.

Nicky

There is no reason not to.

Caitlin

I started Te Reo class in March, Level 1 and 2 at our local Te Wananga O Aotearoa. Initially, I was very nervous and actually thought, I couldnt do it, but with the encouragement from my children and fellow classmates, I have thoroughly enjoyed and after completing 3x Aromatawai, Im feeling alot more confident. If anything, my Why more so, from stems from my initial thoughts, Why Not? Our language is beautiful and the more I hear it spoken, the more I want to learn and be able to share with my kids and others.

Miria

Ko Te reo Maori Te reo rangatira

Carol

I am learning Te Reo Māori and Te Ao Māori so that I can immerse my children. To ensure that, as New Zealanders, my children have an identity that is unique in this world. Te Ao Māori provides a philosophy that is different to the typical western system that will help us to navigate challenges we face as a society now and in the future.

What is driving me to take part is that I work for a kaupapa Māori organisation however a lot of us do not speak Māori fluently or are just too whakamā to speak. I am also on my own personal journey to allign myself more with Te Ao Māori and I believe that encouraging people, not just those who do not speak, but those who do speak, to speak more often to encourage those around them to speak. Get rid of that whakamā.

Because it is the language of this land. We speak English with ease yet Te Reo isn’t used as much. It should be used and celebrated in our everyday lives!

Fifi

It's about time I did, I'm 53years old, would love to stand on my the paepae and whaikorero back home on my marae.

Alfred

I am māori and very proud to be. At the moment i am studying Mātauranga Māori and have 2 more exciting years for my graduation. My why is to keep our language alive and never to be lost.

Wairangi

My why is my whakapapa. I've spent many years trying to piece together my identity, my whakapapa, finding my marae, visiting my turangawaewae, meeting whanau I didnt know, and slowly piecing together what I now know - including this beautiful language. My why is my love and passion for my culture, my mihi to those who came before us, who fought for us to korero, those who continue to fight the forces of oppression, but also those who don't know our kupu, those still piecing their whakapapa together, those who are still stuck under the whakama of not knowing, and all the many journeys our people have (and continue) to walk. My why is also my intergenerational trauma, my whakama, my white skin, my rainbow identity, my disabilities, the everything and anything that makes me me. My why is ME.

Marū

I love our Reo - it's a Taonga tuku iho

to help my kids learn their culture amd language

Sharna

I missed out learning Te Reo growing up and I don’t want my kids and grandkids to miss out. It’s embarrassing being Māori and not speaking Māori - many times people have assumed that because I’m Māori I should speak it- but I believed all NZ’ers should be able to speak the basics as a minimum.

Steve

I want to connect better with people and learn a new perspective

Katie

He Maaori au. . . I am on a learning journey.

Kia kore ai e ngaro te reo rangatira

Jasmin

What is my why? I am doing this to celebrate and embrace the language of my culture. Growing up in school not learning much te reo I am now challenging myself and teaching myself the language as it is important to me as it’s where I’m from and who I am, and I’m proud of who I am <3

I am moari and proud. Want to be confident in the language. I am a mother of 6 who want my children to know ther culture their identity and value the unique language showing growth love and how proud they are. I am also a early childhood teacher.

Karley

It is time we showed more respect to out tangata whenua - it may start to heal a little of the harm done by the wicked settlers that came after those first missionaries. Stubborn fellows who couldn’t see Māori were willing to share cultures and accept them in as partners! Ignorant people who had such wrong ideas about the mongrel strength of white folks - such a mixed race and language gained from many sources! Some were pretending to be Christian but were wolves in sheep’s clothing, taking lands by force and by trickery. So much sorrow, how can it be healed?It is a beautiful language, so phonetic, and using sounds that are already in English, as well as found in many nations around the world! Europe, Asia, South America, Middle East and Africa use the same kinds of vowels! But we need to learn in a new way, we need our friends who have the reo to coach us in the words we want to learn and use! Ma Te IO e manaaki nga hoa! May the Great God bless us friends!

Deb

I am taking part as I love being Maori and feel kiwis should embrace there heritage.

Marienne

I am so eager to learn Te reo ! It’s something that I can’t describe bar feeling like us a burning flame that gets bigger and my want to learn has become my life’s mission to learn Te reo Māori and speak it confidently. I want to do as much as I can to learn 😊

Kia ora te reo hai reo tuku iho, mō tātou ā mō kā uri ā muri ake nei

Victoria

I am proud to be from Aotearoa and want to learn to speak Te Reo

Sasha

I've been on my journey for a few years now, struggling as I'm older and can't retain things as good as I used to. I want to learn to share with my mokopuna and other close whānau. I live in Te Pāpaka-a-maui. I am craving the reo. Kia ora.

I just want to do anything I can to normalise the use of te reo Māori here in Aotearoa <3

Siu

Tamariki , kohanga , also finding whoni am not only as a Maori but history that back tracks to our Maori people before us xx

Kylie

its our language. We should all speak it.

We are a maori land trust who has weekly tumai hui with karakia, korero mo te wiki, waiata. We need to do more! We will do our best on the day to korero i nga wa katoa.

Maureen

I am a teacher and feel it is important to honour the Treaty of Waitangi in any way I can by speaking te reo as often as I can in the classroom, to greet others in te reo, to say place names correctly and to honour the Maori students in my class by having them know their pepeha and be proud of where they come from and who their whanau is. Nga mihiSherryl

I am Pakeha and believe that we should all be able to speak the reo (even if it is just the basics) to keep it alive and because it is the language of our country. I know a little reo, but I have decided this year to make the effort to learn more, so I will be doing one of my lessons on the day.

andrea

Because it is important, our countries first language is something to cherish and celebrate.

Ko Reo Māori tõku tuakiritanga! !

Nikita

Normalise Te Reo Maori in our kura.

Karla

Normalise Te Reo Maori in our kura.

Karla

I want to get to know more of the culture of the country I’m living in right now and possibly my future as well. Want to share the aroha with others.

I am learning Te Reo Māori and want to keep practicing.

Patsy

My children’s ancestors are Maori and unfortunately the culture and language for previous generations has not been cherished and encouraged. It’s is my family mission to bring Te Reo into their lives. My children love the language and immerse themselves in Maori culture in every way they can. Studying te reo at college and primary school, our local Marae and plenty of Kapa haka. It’s been a wonderful journey registering our children Maori, learning about their heritage from many years gone by and learning together.

Niki

I want to be relevant and increase my understanding of mātauranga Māori and Te Tiriti and use of te reo Māori.

Mark

To grow my use of Te reo. Continuing a journey that started last year.

Andrew

Because Te Reo Māori is a taonga that I want to use and promote.

Rachel

You as me Why, I ask you Why Not? Every language is a whole new world, a whole new way of seeing and thinking and experiencing life. If your time-line is a plain blanket, then your experiences, including that of te reo Maori, adds more texture, more colour, more depth to the blanket and your life. . . and there's more friends to be made. You can never have too many friends! :D

I'm just excited to be a part of this reolution that's happening and excited for the future of te reo Māori.

Ko tōku hiahia kia kite tōku taha Māori. E ako ana au i te Reo kei te Wānagna o Aotearoa.

Stephen

I want my family to remember who they are and why our language can be a everyday need for us. Ngā mihi

I have just finished a tikanga level 3 paper and I am enjoying sharing what I have learnt with my students. It enables me to practise what I have learnt and singing waiata every morning is a great way for us to learn together.

Lisa

I have been wanting to learn te reo for ages and started to study it with my husband during the first lockdown.

Camilla

Why- I am here for the culture- Proud of my history and now being an early childhood educator really want our future to know what our country's Te Reo culture and traditions are ! Thank you

Kavneet

I am Maori and my reo is a part of me that is missing

Kia whangaia i te reo rangatira ki nga mokopuna kei roto i te kura köhungahunga pākeha.

To bring to life the essence of our amazing bi-national country!

Lisa

To encourage others to use te Reo and make it a natural way of greeting people

Anne

To promote Māori language, make it more mainstream and integrate it into our daily conversations and lives. Also to promote and encourage my own children and the children in the school I teach to speak and learn more.

For myself mostly however for my Whànau and future generations.

Josie

To ensure we keep current and practice our Reo in order that it become second nature in our lives - my mihi already is.

Melanie

Because I understand the importance of Te reo in keeping our culture alive and want to support this movement (in my own small way) to show I care.

Michael

My why is my tamariki, for us to learn together ❤

It is an important part of this country's heritage and culture, I need and want to grow my understanding and learn to speak more te reo in my everyday life.

I've always wanted to learn - I think it's a beautiful language built from rich culture. I am bilingual and recognise how important language and culture can be to your identity. Though I'm just one person, I hope that by using more Te Reo in my everyday, I could maybe inspire someone else to learn the language with me!

On my first visit to a Marae in 1984 the Karanga resonated into my soul and I knew that if I did nothing then this sound my ancestors first heard in 1814 could be lost to my mokopuna.

Lois

Desire to speak my grandad parents language got squashed out of my mother an not passed on to me , my children cause I didn’t have it an now my mokos . . . . the downward spiral has to stop in my personal life

Sarah

It's an awesome language and I wish there were more speakers and use of the language so I could practice more

Jason

I am Maori and proud of our beautiful language. Being a second language learner, I was privileged to learn under the auspices of 'Te Ataarangi'. This held me steadfast in promoting, using and teaching Te Reo Maori.

I am a proud kiwi and want to be part of the drive to whakamāori te Reo Māori. My students love learning the language and feel very proud of what they are able to communicate. I think it is so valuable for all New Zealanders to learn Te Reo Māori, I think through learning the language they will learn the culture and deeper understanding will follow.

Heather

Doing it for my husband and my kids and to carry on my mother in law miriamas language and I know she would be proud of us taking part!

I am currently doing a course of study in Te Reo level 4. I enjoy bring an advocate for more Te Reo to be used in Aotearoa.

Barry

I'm really keen to learn more te reo.

I want to learn the language my ancestors and kaumātua speak, and connect with who I am as a Māori New Zealander

I want to learn more and encourage others not to be whakama!

Claudine

I want to learn more and encourage others not to be whakama!

Claudine

I am taking part because Te Reo Māori is my first language and I was not fortunate enough to be raised in the presence of this ātaahua reo. I am claiming back what was rightfully mine to begin with and should have never been taken from my tupuna. Ngā mihi.

Dawn

Because we should, no ifs or buts, its the right thing to do!

Doubtless Bay

It is the language of here, this place, this whenua, it must be celebrated and given the mana it should have by right.

Rachel

Ko te reo kia māori (pū iti), arā kia tangata whenua te reo nei ki tōna tūrangawaewae kei noho hei reo tapu anake (pērā i te reo Hiperu i mua i te whakamanatanga o te whenua Iharaira hei whenua). E kore te reo e ora i te karanga, te whaikōrero me te karakia anake. Kōrerohia tō ao ki tō reo, e kare.

Mo te wā o te ao ā mua

Murray

Nō reira, ka hiahia au ki te kōrero I te Reo Māori i ngā wā katoa. Ngā mihi.

I'm proud of my heritage and want my tamariki to grow up being proud of it too. To be able to korero in our own native language feels like a special gift and I want to share that with my whanau

Trina

I am learning Te Reo at TWOA, and want to stand up and join in!

Diana

I am honoured to be part of this country as tangata whenua and though learning the language will gladly participate and encourage every person I know :)

Stella

New Zealand’s language. . . . . I should be speaking with as much ease as I do English. My why is to bring my reo into my everyday.

Patrick

Te reo Maaori is part of our culture and heritage in Aotearoa and it is the responsibility and privilege of all peoples who live here to learn to speak te reo Maaori and understand tikanga Maaori to honour the partnership in Tiriti o Waitangi and Maaori as a group.

Leah

As part of my teaching journey I have developed a passion for the language (Te Reo Māori), I feel I have gained a lot of knowledge around the culuture and the language itself. I am on a mission to keep developing my use of te reo in the classroom as well as a personally developed my use of the language. Any extra oppurtunities I can engage in, I feel is beneficial for me to be able to do this and meet my goal.

I’ve always loved reo Māori. I always wanted to be part of the kapa haka group at school, and have long wanted to learn more of the language. But, growing up as a pakeha in a very pakeha community, I felt ‘unqualified’ and “too white” to participate and learn. As I’ve gotten older, I see that’s not true; I’m a proud kiwi and this is the language of our land. I have so much respect and admiration for te reo and Māori culture, and also grief for the trauma of colonialism on tangata whenua. . my response now is to learn, enjoy & use te reo in my home and community.

I am New Zealander. I Think I should speak more of the other official language and pronounce words correctly

Jennifer

As Kaiako in Aotearoa, teaching very young tamariki, I feel it is my obligation and indeed my passion to value, celebrate and bring to the forefront the beauty of te Ao Māori. I will be stepping into the waka, by beginning my own journey in October, when I will complete my level one kōrero Māori. Thank you for the opportunity

Caro

Ko au Te Reo, Ko Te Reo ko au

Maria

For our tupuna.

Because I should and I have mokos now who're learning about their whakapapa and identity of who they are and where they come from.

i am 68 yrs old my brother who fluent in te reo wants me to learn and its also my wish please

Its important to me and the mahi I do.

I'm a teacher in a class that's trying to become bilingual. I see my kids faces SHINE when their language, their culture and their identity is cherished.

Vashti

Keeping the culture to the forefront where it should be, im with the Mana Ariki cultural society in Taumaranui. . . . founded by Sir Alexander Phillips . . . its my duty

Mark

Because I love te reo Māori and want to help normalise its use. There's so much that can be gained from learning te reo: knowledge, understanding, connection, appreciation of culture, friendships and fun! !

Learning and using te reo Maori helps me connect with the tangata whenua and the wairua of the land of Aotearoa, which in turn also helps me connect with my own tangata whenua and whakapapa of the Philippines. It also brings me a great sense of turangawaewae and whakawhanaungatanga.

Rosario

I am intrigued by the beauty of the Maori langauge and would love to learn it. It is important for me, if I have chosen to make NZ the country of my residence to learn its native language.

Pay homage to my language finally (having spent years overseas and learning other reo now home - ka noho au). Time to immerse fully (language first and everything in between) - mauriora!

Grace

Te reo is unique, awesome and our national language. We've all got to make any effort to learn this reo ātaahua.

I love contributing when I can in activities during Te Wiki o te reo maori, and always look forward to that time. This is a way that i can participate throughout the year, not just for this 'moment' or waiting for the week to come around. I may not speak the language, but hopefully I can change that soon.

Del

I just think it’s an awesome kaupapa and I’m happy to support and be apart of it 👍🏽

Tuiata

Te Reo Maori is a part of every kiwi, whether they know it or not, and whether they like it or not. I've been overseas a few times, and each time I've missed hearing Te Reo Maori, and when I come home, I almost cry when I hear the Reo and the sound of the karanga - even though I'm pakeha, I am totally connected to it - it's part of my being.

Kia oraWe are immigrants to this amazing country and we came partly because of the Māori culture. We want to be a part of keeping this beautiful language alive. We also want our daughter to learn the language of her country. We want her to speak it fluently and to help to encourage others to speak is as her other first language, not a less important second language. Te reo Māori should be spoken by everyone as naturally as speaking English! ! ! And we all need to honour and respect the language enough to pronounce it all properly. This is something our family is working on, every day.