Te Ao | Share your why

Nicola Price-Johnson Te Ao

In Aotearoa's land of green and gold,

Where Māori stories and legends are told,

Te Reo Māori, a language so grand,

Holds the heart of this unique, sacred land.

With words like waka and whānau so dear,

It preserves a culture we all should hold near,

For in learning the tongue of this ancient lore,

We unlock the past and traditions of yore.

In Māori Language Week, we stand as one,

To celebrate a language under the sun,

For it's not just words, it's a bridge that we build,

To honor the Treaty of Waitangi's thrill.

In schools, it's taught to the young and the wise,

A language that opens so many new skies,

In knowledge and culture, it's deeply entwined,

A treasure for all, a gem to be mined.

Employment, education, and tours that inspire,

Te Reo Māori sets our hearts all on fire,

With equity, justice, and history's grace,

It leads us together in one common embrace.

Bilingual minds, enriched and alive,

With Te Reo Māori, we continue to strive,

To understand cultures, to heal and unite,

In this tapestry of stars shining bright.

So let us embrace this language with glee,

For it shapes our future, it sets us all free,

Te Reo Māori, a gift from the past,

In the heart of New Zealand, forever it'll last.