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'

He ngakau taku ki Te Reo Maori me Te Pukapuka o Moromona, kei roto ra te tika o te reo me ana kounga. /

Kia ora e te whānau, Me hono au i tēnei kaupapa #tewikiotereomāori mā āku mahitoi ia rā o tērā wiki. I am taking part in te wiki o te Reo Māori via my art each day of that week 👩🏽‍🎨

Hei hakamana mātou i te reo Māori, i ngā wā katoa, i ngā wāhi katoa.

Hei hakamana i te reo Māori!

Ka kōrero Māori ahau i ngā wā katoa i ngā wāhi kātoa.

Tāku mokopuna is the reason I want him to speak Te Reo Māori.

Using everyday te reo to share culture.

I want to support my personal journey and also the mahi of Manapou ki te Ao

as an immigrant to Aotearoa, I really want to learn. to read and write and understand.

Kei te ako tonu ahau i taku reo, he taonga tuku iho moku me aku tamariki. He kaitautoko ahau ki aku hoa mahi, me awhina me tangata whenua te reo ki roto i te tari.

Learning more Te Reo Maori, by listening

Myself and Daughter Te Pumanawa o Toku Ate Rogers having some Father & Princess time.

"A leai se gagana, ua leai se aganu'u. A leai se aganu'u, ua po le nu'u - if there is no language, there will be no culture, and if there is no culture, there will be no identity. “This is why we must maintain and preserve our language wherever it is possible. ”

Recently I heard a quote by Brene Brown — a snippet from her book ‘Braving the Wilderness: “Our worth and belonging are not negotiated with other people, we carry those inside of our hearts; I know who I am, I’m not going to negotiate that with you, I will negotiate a contract with you, negotiate a topic with you, but I’m not going to negotiate who I am with you, because then I may fit in for you, but I no longer belong to myself and that is a betrayal I’m not willing to do anymore. ” It was not long after our third Retreat with Mana Moana — the concept of this retreat was Fenua, Whanua, Fanua, our landing, our arrival to shore and engaging with the indigenous, understanding our positions and how we fit in. We visited the landmarks Tane Mahuta, Tokareireira (Hone Heke Memorial), Kohewhata Marae, and Piripi Tiriti Whenua (Waitangi Treaty Grounds). As a Pacific descendant, I had previously visited Tane Mahuta almost 15 years ago, however, have never been to the other places we visited. As we walked barefooted to Tane Mahuta, there was a strong sense of peace, it was serene. I immediately felt the connection to the land, to the fenua. If you can imagine as a 44-year-old Samoan woman, born in New Zealand, on this learning journey, so whilst there is this peaceful transition from the busyness of our lives onto the land, there was this turmoil within, my heart and soul. This turmoil led to an irritation — I was disappointed in my education, as a Pacific woman who has been through the education system in New Zealand, I have not heard the depth of the betrayal of the indigenous, even though I am born here, educated here, live here, I am still a visitor, and I must tread carefully. I work at The Faith Factory also known as The Waitakere Salvation Army Community Services. I have seen the effects and the impact of these stories on the many generations of Māori that come through our doors, the hopelessness. I couldn’t bear the thought of hearing another story come the last day, I was emotionally spent. Our speaker Moana Jackson identified the importance of knowing our stories, reclaiming identity, making peace with the past, acceptance of the process: reclaiming our way of seeing. He was very soft-spoken, yet his words and his perspective so powerful and empowering. After all 10 points in his talk, I was ready to take on the next challenge, I was affirmed in who I am, where I am at in my own personal journey. In a sense, we have continuously negotiated who we are with Pakeha and other cultures in order to fit in, to be accepted, to feel a sense of belonging and worth. I know who I am. The challenge is how do we continue to educate our future generations on the importance of understanding how we as Pacific contribute to the Movement of the why the reo is important. "A leai se gagana, ua leai se aganu'u. A leai se aganu'u, ua po le nu'u - if there is no language, there will be no culture, and if there is no culture, there will be no identity. “This is why we must maintain and preserve our language wherever it is possible. ”

This is a great question because their is alot we or I can say when it comes to the importance of preserving or safe keeping of our language or in better forms (who we are). Maoritanga I am 30 years of age and with proud I am pleased to inform and let my whakapapa heritage be loudly known. I grew up born and bread at my Papakainga with over 40 homes in our whanau village. My environment from kohanga was all about out tikanga even from before i was born. It was total emersion in te reo maori i nga wa katoa. So wherever we were didnt matter where we were only allowed to talk maori. It was considered swearing so you were punished if you were caught with a pakeha word coming out of your mouth. My parents were also great emplementers when it came to learning or speaking te reo. Unfortunately since than alot has changed and/or died out and so this is my why Toku reo toku ohooho mapihi Maurea whakakai marihi He taonga tukuiho no nga tipuna Kia kaha matou ki te whakaako ki te korero ki te waiata kia kore ai e ngaro kia kore ai e rite ki te moa.

I like how the connection between Maori and the land/ Papatuanuku is shown in the language, and how we can best implement Maori values into sustainability.

Whakawhanaungatanga Cherish the moments we have with the oness beside us. tomorrow is not promised

My why? Reo helps me to understanding my tupuna and their teachings better, whilst the things I do and the associated kupu I use is the continuation of that connection. A word, sentence, and the associated tikanga for a certain activity that I practice has come from my tupuna, and through me it will continue to those that are after me in my line. This photo is the manifestation of the continued understanding passed down to me, and that connection to my tupuna. (Otherwise my photo would have looked very bare if I didn't take heed or understand their teachings). Shared activities like kaimoana gatherings provides my whānau and I with the opportunity to learn meanings, pronunciation and USE kupu like Tangaroa, tikanga, moana, wai, kai, kūtai, kina, pipi, toheroa, kōura paptea, pātiki, paua, kaimoana, karoro, and many more. Also use simple sentences such as 'Kua orua te moana", or when telling others that weren't there 'Karekare kau ana te tai ki Maunganui. " These activity associated kupu and simple sentences are then shared amongst friends who then share it to their friends all the while helping to normalise the kupu/reo and its use within our communities. Its my way to assist with the revitalisation and acceptance of te reo.

He panonitanga huanui: Nā te tautoko, nā te werowero ka hua ake tō ao. Change that works: Enough support and challenge for you to risk a better future.

My goal is to uplift, be an example and embrace my culture as a normal part of my everyday life

He kakano ahau I ruia mai i Rangiateai And I can never be lost I am a seed, born of greatness Descended from a line of chiefs, He kakano ahau Ki hea ra au e hitekiteki ana Ka mau tonu i ahau oku tikanga Toku reo, toku oho-oho, Toku reo, toku mapihi maurea Toku whakakai marihi My language is my strength, An ornament of grace Ka tu ana ahau, Ka uhia au e oku tipuna My pride I will show That you may know who I am I am a warrior, a survivor He morehu ahau Ki hea ra au e hitekiteki ana Ka mau tonu i ahau oku tikanga Toku reo, toku oho-oho, Toku reo, toku mapihi maurea Toku whakakai marihi My language is my strength, An ornament of grace

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I have been working on my pepeha. Although I haven't yet memorized it by heart, I am content with having a pepeha that provides context about my relationship to Aotearoa. As a Pākehā, it can be challenging to understand how to position ourselves within our bicultural environment. Through my journey into Te Ao Māori and Te Reo Māori, I've discovered a stronger connection to my cultural identity as a New Zealander of European descent, achieved by gaining a deeper comprehension of my whakapapa and how that connects to my role as Tangata Tiriti. I observe that my children, having Mātauranga Māori at school, form a distinct connection to their Pākehā heritage in a manner different from how I was taught. I am excited about the direction we are moving towards and the implications it carries for our collective identity in Aotearoa, as we progress with the revitalization of Te Reo Māori, Mātauranga Māori, and the entirety of Te Ao Māori.

I will encourage our kaimahi to greet and acknowledge each in te reo Māori

We want to be part of the Māori Language Moment to normalise te reo Māori. We want to celebrate tangata whenua and the taonga of Aotearoa. We want to represent the people we work with and respect the aspirations of our whānau. We want our tamariki to grow up in a world where reo Māori is valued and cherished. Kia kaha te reo Māori!

Korero I te Reo Maori ki āku mokopuna, Ki Taku tane, Ki Taku whanau Ki te whakaki I tō mātou kete o te Reo rangatira.

“Children need a strong personal cultural identity, and before they can move forward with their own cultural identity, they need to have a strong understanding of what’s gone before,

Ka kōrero au I roto I te reo mō kotahi hāora every day!

I raro i te maru o Te Kura Maengenge, kei te ako mātou i te reo Māori.

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These are my whys my beautiful grandchildren

I certainly enjoyed 'Maori Club' as it was called many moons ago at primary school and I want to share my enthusiasm with my class.

I will be starting my level 2 journey, looking forward to sharing what I have learnt so far

Ko ēnei āku tamariki me taku mokopuna. These are my children and my moko. Ōku tūmanako ka tipu rātou i raro i te korowai o te reo me Ngā tikanga Māori.

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Tamariki & kaiako enjoying our fortnightly kapa waiata with Mama Mate. #Tutiramai

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Ko Miramar Central mātou kura Kei Te Whanganui-a-Tara

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Te Mihi mātahi o te tau hou māori. Te maringanui mātou o te tari o Te Ātea Mārino (Tari CADs Hāpori ki te kauparetia te tarukino) e whakanui ana te kaupapa whakahirahira ki tō Aotearoa whanui. Miharo taku mahi, ki te paohotia tēnei ki te ipurangi. Mānawatia tonutia te kahui whetu o Matariki Puanga.

Get creative, get passionate and have fun - Mānawatia a Matariki!

I would share to my whanau and friends.

Being born and raised in Australia, I feel a certain degree of disconnection from my Maori culture. Although my whanau has taught me some Maori words and songs I want to learn more and be able to educate my future children.

Change my perception through te teo

I want to help normalise te reo in mainstream media.

I believe it is important for me to be able to introduce myself and know more of the language in Te Reo as a sign of respect. I'm excited to learn!

I live in NZ, I want to learn our language, full stop. We should all know how to speak it, it is what makes NZ unique, I am excited to learn!

It is important

Ko te reo te mauri o te Mana Māori.

i want to learn to speak maori

I'm learning te reo Māori because my parents and grandparents weren't afforded the same opportunities so learn and speak the language. Amongst other things, it is my birthright. I want to be part of movement that's only going to make te reo Māori strong. Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori!

I have always had a passion for the reo maori I live it love and breath it

To reclaim my cultural identity and be a role model for my daughter

I want to pass our heritage on to my daughter and son. I was raised without it, and don’t want my children to grow up the same.

Kia Ora, My why is because growing up in a colonized country I now struggle to learn my language which sould be my first language & being spoken fluently. I want this for our rangatahi & future generations.

I am keen to learn to speak Maori. My grandchildren enjoy learning at school and I would like to support them

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A brief audio from the day I'd been in Aotearoa 40 years, thanking my colleagues at Tohorā House in Whangārei Terenga Paraoa for helping me with learning te reo Māori at the daily office karakia sessions during the last year.

It is important to me to become a part of this movement because, I'm one of those maori that doesn't confidently know his pepeha, cannot speak maori confidently, and I feel like part of me is lost waiting to be found, and I want to find and reconnect with my maori heritage to better understand myself and the powerful line of chiefs I descend from, I feel this will better benefit me as a maori man, my tamariki, and the generations to come.

Share our language and learn more to past on to next generations

Its culture, history, origin, spirituality, pride & unique.

I want to connect with with my language and revive that part of who I am

I love learning languages - and te reo is beautiful.

I want to help normalise te reo in mainstream media.

Being brought up in Aotearoa in the 70s with such little teaching of Te Reo I am on a journey of rediscovery, of history, language and culture. It's wonderful to be part of this movement.

Due to the impacts of the Native Schools act on my tupuna and papa - the Reo in my whānau diminished. Subsequently in my adulthood, I have only basic Reo abilities. I'm committed to doing what I can to revive it.

Completing the picture of self, that is needing my reo Māori. Me he kawau aro maunga au.

I am learning because it is important as a Pasifika person to learn and understand the reo of the land on which I live and was born in. It affirms my place as an ally to te reo Māori.

Te reo is a taonga unique to our country, and I am proud to be able to learn and share it.

Keen to u d’état and Te Reo

There's a feeling in the pit of my being telling me there is freedom in te Ao Maori that I cant partake of in te Ao tauiwi.

Connection and be closer to my nan who passed away

I am a primary school teacher and passionate about sharing Te Reo with my kura. After 20 years overseas it’s so great to come home.

Looking forward to the learning journey

I have a hard time expressing what te reo means to me. Without it, it feels like a part of me is missing. I feel split between worlds, and te reo helps me reclaim my true identity.

I was good te reo when I was around 5 then moved to my palangi side of my whanau and grew up with just English I wanna get back in to my reo side

I want to begin my journey with reconnecting with my whakapapa through learning Te reo Maaori.

My 'why' is that I want to be able to acknowledge people with our taonga that is our reo. I want to manaaki others and share views in te reo to express who I am and what l value, nga mihi.

Kia kaha te reo māori

I feel something is missing I need to learn te reo to make myself whole.

Connection and sense of belonging

Im ready to learn. I felt there is always been something missing. Its my Reo.

Kia ora, I feel a important Piece in my life missing. Pre-Covid I was on a journey in Te Reo Maori I could feel my tupunga and whanau awhi I felt that missing piece was that of my culture. Due to life challenges I keep putting it off but I know I need the push and drive to help my success only then I can pass this taonga to my tamariki. Nga mihinui Ray.

My why, is my baby girl. I want my baby to understand and speak her reo. Also for my nan who wasn’t allowed to speak our reo growing up. Ngā mihi nunui!

I have unsuccessfully tried several times to learn te reo but unsure why it didn't stick. Pono.

Nga mihi

Keeping culture alive through te reo is exquisite. Now I like to know that word in reo.

The longing to speak the language of my tupana, the dream to korero with my whanau, a taonga to leave my children.

No Turanganuiakiwa au. I'm learning my tamariki dialect in Te Taitokerau. Ko Rongowhakaata me Ngati Kahungunu me Rongomaiwahine oku Iwi.

As a kaiako I believe it is crucial to be able to speak and teach te reo Māori to new generations. It is important that tamariki in Aotearoa know that Reo can be spoken by any and all people so that we can continue to grow the language

My goal is to help Aotearoa understand the importance of our Reo!

Developing a deeper understanding of Tangata whenua and the process of decolonisation

Ko te reo rangatira tōku honohono ki te Atua me ōku tipuna me ngā mea katoa i roto i te ao Māori, He kaiako i te reo au, Ko te whainga mōku ki te whakatipu te reo i roto i ngā rangatahi kia kaha ai rātou, Kia mohio ai rātou kō wai rātou, Māmā.

Driving the need for real usage of Maori - respecting Matauranga Maori when using it and reducing tokenism.

I grew up not knowing my whakapapa, my entire culture lost to me. Now as an adult I want my tamariki and moko to know where they belong and who they belong to. I want to be able to share the stories of our tupuna and I have a strong desire to be able to korero māori; to scrape back what is mine and what is theirs in our journey ahead.

He kaupapa nui tēnei ki ahau nā te mea, ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori. Ko taku waimarie ki te ako i Te Wānanga o Raukawa, kei reira i hoki mai ahau ki te ao Māori.

Kia ora, I am a tarara, (Dalmation) I am Croatian. my whanau immigrated in 1966 . However, history mentions that Dalmatians first immigrated around the 1890's and settled in the far north seeking gold, Dalmatians also banded together in the gumfields of the far north. There was significant intermarriage with local Maori women, especially in Kaitaia. I have lots of whaanau living up north and I am motivated to learn and speak te reo Maaori and strenthen connection with my whaanau living in the far north.

My why is for myself and my daughter, so that she doesn't go through the struggle that I am going through.

Ko Kerry toku ingoa, Kia pai te ra!

It's crucial to our identity.

Ko tāku reo tāku ohooho Ko tāku reo tāku mapihi maurea

Piriponotia I roto i ngā mahi Mahi tūpuna, mahi wairua hoki Kia mārama ai, te hinengaro o te iwi Māori Aue me honoa Ngā hau e wha o te motu I te ara whakaaro nui Mō tātou tātou

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这是一个关于自我介绍的视频,我讲了我的家里有几口人,家庭情况,和父母从事的工作。

He taonga te reo. Our reo gives us belonging, it ties us to our tūpuna, whenua, whānau, hapū, iwi. Ka ora ai te reo, ka ora ai te iwi Māori.

Kia Ora This is Rameka Nichols from Te Kura O Nooera( Nawton School)