News & Inspiration

Your eyes and ears for reo Māori news and media. We share new stories often, so tune in to stay up-to-date with what's happening in the reo Māori space.

Bid to bring the world haka record home from France

Bid to bring the world haka record home from France

18 Mar 2024
An estimated 10,000–15,000 are expected to perform the haka at Eden Park in September in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record.
Innovative stage version of famous Te Arawa tale warmly welcomed in Rotorua

Innovative stage version of famous Te Arawa tale warmly welcomed in Rotorua

16 Mar 2024
“It has been a dream of mine for the past 10 years now to gravitate together our pūrākau or stories with the use of introduced techniques and fuse into the world of theatre,” said artistic director Tanemahuta Gray said.
Translations and parallel texts

Translations and parallel texts

16 Mar 2024
Whether the translation (of children’s or adults’ books) is from English or other languages into Māori, or vice-versa, the availability of parallel texts offers great learning opportunities.
Ko te 30 tau o Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa

Ko te 30 tau o Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa

15 Mar 2024
Kei te hui anō ngā Kura Aho Matua ki Kaiwhaiki Marae, te wāhi i tū ai te hui tuatahi a Te Rūnanga Nui i te 1994.
Reviving Te Tikanga a Tohi

Reviving Te Tikanga a Tohi

15 Mar 2024
The programme has been instrumental in enhancing participants’ confidence in practising tikanga and speaking te reo Māori, offering a supportive environment for both beginners and those with a more advanced understanding of Māori culture.
‘Excited’: Māori creative agency partners with global advertising agency

‘Excited’: Māori creative agency partners with global advertising agency

14 Mar 2024
The arrangement will also enable DDB Aotearoa to access te reo Māori and tikanga courses through Whare Creative’s “cultural uplift services”, as well as cultural development related directly to the media industry.
Inuit broadcaster encourages language revitalisation through short videos

Inuit broadcaster encourages language revitalisation through short videos

13 Mar 2024
Indigenous leader in broadcasting Julie Grenier speaks on promoting their language.
Calls for world indigenous kapa haka event after African language similarity surprises

Calls for world indigenous kapa haka event after African language similarity surprises

13 Mar 2024
Tiktok video shows sound similarities between te reo Māori and the Sesotho language.
Bright future for Irish language

Bright future for Irish language

13 Mar 2024
By combining grassroots activism with the media influence of the Indigenous Irish TV Network, momentum is building toward the preservation and flourishing of the Irish language .
Indigenous Arctic language broadcaster draws inspiration from Māori media

Indigenous Arctic language broadcaster draws inspiration from Māori media

12 Mar 2024
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) Sámi Television chief executive Johan Ailo Kalstad says Māori have set the standard for indigenous language revitalisation.
Ten more kapa haka qualify for Te Matatini 2025

Ten more kapa haka qualify for Te Matatini 2025

11 Mar 2024
Te Arawa and Te Kāhui Maunga held their events in Rotorua and Hāwera respectively with groups going all out on stage.
‘Beautiful, hilarious’ journey brings te ao Māori to the big screen

‘Beautiful, hilarious’ journey brings te ao Māori to the big screen

10 Mar 2024
When Te Kohe Tuhaka first became an actor, it was rare to see anything to do with te ao Māori behind the scenes.
Making room for the reo

Making room for the reo

10 Mar 2024

“As life got harder and more things started cropping up, it was the reo that kept being put on the back burner — something I swore I wouldn’t do.” — Siena Yates on life after full-immersion reo learning.

Thomas Wynne: Reclaiming our reo Māori

Thomas Wynne: Reclaiming our reo Māori

09 Mar 2024
Who grew up thinking of themselves as half caste, quarter caste or part this part that but never the total sum of all of who we are, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.
Māori linguists offer insights into te reo revitalisation

Māori linguists offer insights into te reo revitalisation

09 Mar 2024
Māori linguists have launched a special edition journal with insights for strengthening te reo Māori revitalisation.
Multi-million dollar plans for four new Tāmaki Makaurau marae

Multi-million dollar plans for four new Tāmaki Makaurau marae

07 Mar 2024
Four new marae are being planned in Tāmaki Makaurau, with one in South Auckland going through planning, one in the city’s west winning resource consent, another out west planned and one for the North Shore.
Rangatahi band releases provocative new single

Rangatahi band releases provocative new single

07 Mar 2024
Tangata Beats winner Te Whānau Puoro, hailing from Flaxmere College and Tamatea High School in Hawke's Bay releases 'Rise up'.
Parks and buildings across Auckland will have dual names and tell stories of Tāmaki Makaurau in te reo

Parks and buildings across Auckland will have dual names and tell stories of Tāmaki Makaurau in te reo

07 Mar 2024
Fourteen local boards are supporting the 2020 Te Kete Rukuruku initiative, which will showcase the Māori history and stories of Tāmaki Makaurau.
Kura reo focused on normalising tikanga Māori in the environment video icon

Kura reo focused on normalising tikanga Māori in the environment

06 Mar 2024
The inaugural Kura Reo mō te Taiao has taken place in Rotorua, tasked with revitalising and normalising tikanga Māori outdoors.
The Convert: New Māori film premieres video icon

The Convert: New Māori film premieres

05 Mar 2024
Māori film maker Lee Tamahori's new film The Convert premiered in Auckland last night. This historical drama features Hollywood actor Guy Pearce and Māori actress Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne.
New regional news service launches in Te Tai Tokerau

New regional news service launches in Te Tai Tokerau

05 Mar 2024
Fenton described te kūkupa as a “kopuna platform”, which had been influenced by the legacies of Māori news trailblazers including Te Karere, Mana Māori Media, Ruia Mai and Waatea.
 Indigenous Wāhine Leadership Wānanga focuses on Wāhine Entrepreneurship

Indigenous Wāhine Leadership Wānanga focuses on Wāhine Entrepreneurship

04 Mar 2024
Wāhine were welcomed on to Te Kuirau Marae by hau kainga - Ngāti Turipuku / Ngati Te Roro o te rangi, giving the Indigenous Wāhine their first experience of pōwhiri, followed by whakawhānaungatanga.
Whānau hopes to inspire with Māori circus, Te Tangi a te Tūī

Whānau hopes to inspire with Māori circus, Te Tangi a te Tūī

02 Mar 2024
Eleven-year-old Te Rongopai Curreen-Tukiwaho has never seen a Māori circus performance before. Now, he gets to perform in one.
Wāhine Māori shine at film and television awards

Wāhine Māori shine at film and television awards

01 Mar 2024
Broadcaster Mihingarangi Forbes was one of three Māori winners at the Women in Film and Television (WIFT) awards last night.
Pākehā asked to be aware as demand for te reo grows

Pākehā asked to be aware as demand for te reo grows

29 Feb 2024
Demand for Kura Reo and te reo Māori is growing and many non-Māori are lending their voices to the revitalisation of te reo.
Wikiti! Why you’ll see Maori words on your TV during Australia’s Test series

Wikiti! Why you’ll see Maori words on your TV during Australia’s Test series

28 Feb 2024
When the first batter is dismissed at Basin Reserve on Thursday, viewers will see a graphic that not only says “wicket” but also “wikiti”, the Maori translation of the term.
Revolutionary Te Reo Māori daily app debuts globally

Revolutionary Te Reo Māori daily app debuts globally

28 Feb 2024
Ōtautahi-based creative agency Not Another™ is launching a first-of-its-kind Slack app aimed at teaching millions of Slack users worldwide to speak Te Reo Māori.
Innovative new Kaitāia educational programme uses latest technology to teach history to rangatahi

Innovative new Kaitāia educational programme uses latest technology to teach history to rangatahi

27 Feb 2024
Lasike said the launch marks the start of a unique journey where rangatahi will delve into the rich story of Tōhe, the visionary navigator whose legacy is embedded in the landscape of Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe.
Learning te reo as an adult: Tips for success

Learning te reo as an adult: Tips for success

25 Feb 2024
“If you want to learn to speak Māori, it’s not a case of merely learning a language and then you end up a reo speaker. Your identity changes too. It’s like you have to be reborn.”
Former All Black’s Ngāi Tahu roots call him south

Former All Black’s Ngāi Tahu roots call him south

25 Feb 2024
Jones had always wanted to better himself and understand his iwi. The most “amazing” part of his journey so far had been learning the language.
A week long wananga about opera

A week long wananga about opera

24 Feb 2024
In April New Zealand Opera will hold a week long wananga at Waikato University with an open invitation to Aotearoa's story tellers to embrace one of music's most challenging genres.
Stan Walker on ‘uncle Tāme Iti’, his Tūhoetana, tamariki and tunes

Stan Walker on ‘uncle Tāme Iti’, his Tūhoetana, tamariki and tunes

24 Feb 2024
Stan Walker's first hit ‘Blackbox’ and his newest waiata ‘Māori Ki Te Ao’ sound like the work of two completely different artists. And in a way, they are.
L.A.B on new album, reo journey and upcoming tour

L.A.B on new album, reo journey and upcoming tour

23 Feb 2024
Vocalist Stuart Kora hints at the possibility of a reo Māori waiata soon and says he has been taking reo classes with his wife as a way to contribute to the language’s vitality and strength.
Hatupatu/Kurungaituku: A Forbidden Love that flies

Hatupatu/Kurungaituku: A Forbidden Love that flies

22 Feb 2024

Tanemahuta Gray’s production for Taki Rua, Hatupatu/Kurungaituku: A Forbidden Love, brings together the realms of aerial performance, traditional kapa haka and modern dance.

Top kapa haka performers ready to compete this weekend

Top kapa haka performers ready to compete this weekend

21 Feb 2024
Te Matatini champions to take the stage at Mātaatua senior regionals.
Kura reo courses sell out in minutes as demand grows

Kura reo courses sell out in minutes as demand grows

21 Feb 2024
“By the end of that first kura reo, I remember it I was dreaming in te reo Māori. It was in Christchurch and I went up the street to get a break and buy a real coffee and I remember going into the shop and speaking Māori to the girl and not realising it.”
Chelsea Winstanley on the collapse of her marriage to Taika Waititi

Chelsea Winstanley on the collapse of her marriage to Taika Waititi

21 Feb 2024
Winstanley (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) has been one of the driving forces behind te reo Māori versions of popular Disney movies like Moana, Frozen and The Lion King.
Dumplings and fried bread – there’s more than one way to celebrate a new year

Dumplings and fried bread – there’s more than one way to celebrate a new year

21 Feb 2024
Among those celebrating last year was Chinese author Song Lam, who attended festivals, handing out language cards that offered Chinese and English explanations for greetings in te reo Māori.
NZ's National Kiwi Hatchery just revealed the beautiful Te Reo name given to its 2500th chick

NZ's National Kiwi Hatchery just revealed the beautiful Te Reo name given to its 2500th chick

21 Feb 2024
While it was a close vote, one name came out on top - Ātārangi, which is 'morning sky' in Te Reo.
 NZ’s first-ever sports documentary in te reo Māori

NZ’s first-ever sports documentary in te reo Māori

20 Feb 2024
Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey is about a little kura kaupapa Māori based in Rotorua taking on some of the biggest private schools in the country. 
How Wellington is getting its macron on

How Wellington is getting its macron on

20 Feb 2024
It has taken just six years but Wellington streets are about to get a macron — to boost māramatanga in Māori as well as English.
Celebration of the spiritual power of Maori women coming to Victoria

Celebration of the spiritual power of Maori women coming to Victoria

20 Feb 2024
“I feel very proud that I can create a vehicle for our reo (language) and our tikanga (customs). Our stories, our waiata (song). Our essence is being given the opportunity to be on the international stage.”
Taonga tākaro have new home in the Super 8 competition

Taonga tākaro have new home in the Super 8 competition

19 Feb 2024
Horohopu is one of the Taonga Tākaro making first apperance for a majority of students in the competition.
Bilingual blast for Indigenous lead match up

Bilingual blast for Indigenous lead match up

16 Feb 2024
Sky Sport’s Māori strategy lead Kirstin Te Wao-Edmonds says over a third of New Zealanders enjoy rugby league, at least 20 percent of whom are Māori. She says the bilingual broadcast is a way to make te reo Māori accessible for all sports fans.
Award-winning theatre stalwarts bring circus theatre and kaupapa Māori to the stage

Award-winning theatre stalwarts bring circus theatre and kaupapa Māori to the stage

15 Feb 2024
Two stalwarts in indigenous theatre and co-founders of Te Pou, the home of Māori theatre in Auckland, have won major awards recognising their contribution to the theatre industry.
Kapa haka grows in South Island region

Kapa haka grows in South Island region

14 Feb 2024
Kapa haka teams in Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Māui are going from strength to strength as they prepare for next weekend’s regional competitions.
University of Otago appoints first Deputy-Vice Chancellor Māori

University of Otago appoints first Deputy-Vice Chancellor Māori

13 Feb 2024
Jacinta Ruru has been appointed as the University of Otago's Deputy-Vice Chancellor Māori.
Exploring te reo Māori in a business context

Exploring te reo Māori in a business context

12 Feb 2024
Incorporating te reo Māori into business communication, whether verbal or written, is a way to normalise the language, support its revitalisation and foster a workplace culture that is inclusive, respectful and uniquely Māori, Komene says.
New kura's principal aiming for kids who stand proud and confident in both worlds

New kura's principal aiming for kids who stand proud and confident in both worlds

10 Feb 2024
The Papakura principal wants students to feel comfortable in the Māori and Pākeha worlds.
Macrons added to street signs in Marlborough

Macrons added to street signs in Marlborough

09 Feb 2024
Three years after agreeing to put macrons on more than a dozen incorrect te reo Māori street signs in Marlborough, most of them have been fixed.
‘Rere Atu Taku Poi!’ he pukapuka mō te iwi āniwaniwa mā te katoa

‘Rere Atu Taku Poi!’ he pukapuka mō te iwi āniwaniwa mā te katoa

08 Feb 2024
He pukapuka mā te hunga rangatahi takatāpui kāre e tino kaha ana te kite ana i ngā tāngata pērā i a rātau.
Far North council changes Māori name ahead of Waitangi Day

Far North council changes Māori name ahead of Waitangi Day

05 Feb 2024
The council’s 35-year-old logo is being revamped to include the area’s traditional indigenous name Te Kaunihera o Te Hiku o te Ika.
Playing Favourites with Kiran Parbhu

Playing Favourites with Kiran Parbhu

03 Feb 2024

A fourth generation Kiwi of Indian ancestry, Kiran came to fame when Maori language advocate Matai Rangi Smith praised his fluency of Te Reo. Kiran was captaining Matai's Air New Zealand flight at the time.

Te reo Māori version of Beds are Burning to be performed at West Auckland festival

Te reo Māori version of Beds are Burning to be performed at West Auckland festival

02 Feb 2024
Former Midnight Oil and indigenous rights activist Peter Garrett - who will headline the Waitangi @ Waititi concert in West Auckland - will also be unveiling a te reo version of the band’s biggest and most loved hit song, Beds are Burning.
Demand soars for kura reo

Demand soars for kura reo

01 Feb 2024
Independent Māori language revitalisation body Te Mātāwai is facing growing demand for kura reo. Chief executive Poia Rewi says it is investing in 61 kura reo this financial year 2023/2024 compared with 29 in 2022/23.
Rotorua gym introduces new “haka fit” membership video icon

Rotorua gym introduces new “haka fit” membership

01 Feb 2024
A gym membership programme for Te Arawa kaihaka has just started, as the preparation for their regional haka competition gets underway.
Microsoft’s Dan Walker creates AI as support for mātauranga Māori

Microsoft’s Dan Walker creates AI as support for mātauranga Māori

01 Feb 2024
The AI, named Te Rau o te Huia, a tribute to Walker’s nana, is knowledgable in south Taranaki mātauranga Māori It has the ability to name iwi, hapū and marae of the region.
‘Let's build our own gym’: The fitness studio where most of the trainers speak te reo Māori

‘Let's build our own gym’: The fitness studio where most of the trainers speak te reo Māori

01 Feb 2024
The Movement, at its core, is a space created for Māori to feel comfortable, to use their reo for those who can and an opportunity for others to learn. Kaupapa Māori is central to everything the gym does.
Push for te reo Māori in South Wairarapa

Push for te reo Māori in South Wairarapa

29 Jan 2024
South Wairarapa District Council is seeking the endorsement of a refreshed Māori Policy that will ingrain the use of te reo Māori within the organisation and community.
Whakataukī of the week: 'Everyone's got their own place'

Whakataukī of the week: 'Everyone's got their own place'

29 Jan 2024
Hospitality operator and te reo Maōri advocate Anton Matthews says his favourite whakataukī is about valuing people who work in the public eye just as much as those who work behind the scenes.
Waitakere Ranges walking track re-opened, ingoa Māori reinstated video icon

Waitakere Ranges walking track re-opened, ingoa Māori reinstated

29 Jan 2024
Following six years of restoration work, the Cascade Kauri walking track was re-opened, with its original ingoa Māori - Te Piringa, being reinstated.
Bilingual Waitangi Day service a first for Eltham church

Bilingual Waitangi Day service a first for Eltham church

27 Jan 2024
Central Taranaki Anglican missioner the Rev Paul Bowers-Mason says he and the Rev Vincent Nuku (Ngāti Ruanui) are looking forward to welcoming people of all denominations to the service at All Saints Church in Arakamu / Eltham.
We’ve made a conscious decision to put women at the forefront - Tina Karaitiana

We’ve made a conscious decision to put women at the forefront - Tina Karaitiana

25 Jan 2024
“We’ve made a conscious decision to actually put women at the forefront. so when people, manuhiri, come into Netball New Zealand’s whare, they will be greeted and welcomed by women,”
'We’re all learning together': Programme aims to encourage use of te reo Māori in classrooms

'We’re all learning together': Programme aims to encourage use of te reo Māori in classrooms

24 Jan 2024
About 70 per cent of the school's students identify as Māori.
Whakataukī of the Week with Dr Hinemoa Elder

Whakataukī of the Week with Dr Hinemoa Elder

22 Jan 2024
Why can New Zealanders recall more lines from Shakespeare or Shel Silverstein than whakataukī - Māori proverbs?
Chelsea Winstanley named finalist in Women in Film and Television New Zealand Awards

Chelsea Winstanley named finalist in Women in Film and Television New Zealand Awards

18 Jan 2024

The Women in Film and Television New Zealand Awards group has announced finalists for this year’s ceremony.

Using Māori culture to connect with dog owners

Using Māori culture to connect with dog owners

17 Jan 2024
A fluent speaker of te reo Māori, Te Atu Rangi joined the Animal Control Unit in November last year and is enjoying the new job.
Te reo takeaways

Te reo takeaways

15 Jan 2024

A new study from the University of Canterbury shows that non-Māori speakers can reliably distinguish Māori words from almost-words—which gives anyone wanting to learn the language a head start.

Theia / TE KAAHU

Theia / TE KAAHU

15 Jan 2024
Alternative pop musician Theia is a fierce proponent of the revitalisation of Maori language and culture. 
Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr: Discovering identity through reggae

Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr: Discovering identity through reggae

14 Jan 2024
His band Aotearoa regularly toured the country throughout the 80s and 90s. They were highly political, and played an important role encouraging people to embrace Te Reo and Maori culture at a time that wasn't as prevalent as it is today.
Janine Morrell-Gunn’s te reo triumph

Janine Morrell-Gunn’s te reo triumph

10 Jan 2024
Kiwi TV producer and businesswoman Janine explains how the birth of her first grandchild has changed her life.
PMN’s Summer Series: As te reo Māori use rises, can churches save Pacific languages from dying?

PMN’s Summer Series: As te reo Māori use rises, can churches save Pacific languages from dying?

07 Jan 2024
Educators say the increase in te reo Māori should be an example for those wanting to revitalise Pacific languages.
The Language of Dance

The Language of Dance

06 Jan 2024
That’s the aim of a series of workshops that’s being run by movement artist and reo speaker, Mapihi Kelland (Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Syrian).
Aro translates mātauranga Māori into music

Aro translates mātauranga Māori into music

06 Jan 2024
He Rākau, He Ngārara will be Aro’s fourth body of work and is based on research into kōrero tuku iho (oral tradition) from Charles Looker’s iwi and hapū about native trees, insects and reptiles.
Ko te reo Māori te tino kai a Domino’s

Ko te reo Māori te tino kai a Domino’s

03 Jan 2024
“Domino’s team members who feel comfortable conversing in te reo will now also wear Reo Māori pins in-store to promote public, everyday usage of the language."
'The rock of our Te Arawa kapa haka': Mourners pay tribute to poi expert

'The rock of our Te Arawa kapa haka': Mourners pay tribute to poi expert

03 Jan 2024
Ngamoni Huata was a poi expert who will be missed for her knowledge and guidance.
Ōtautahi Live: Ngā Reo Tīoriori

Ōtautahi Live: Ngā Reo Tīoriori

01 Jan 2024
Ngā Reo Tīoriori bring you a set of their recordings and chat about their music with RNZ engineer Alex Harmer.
Letty Brown: ‘It Starts In The Home’

Letty Brown: ‘It Starts In The Home’

31 Dec 2023
Ereti ‘Letty’ Brown of Ngāti Porou and Te Whānau ā Apanui is now an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Te Matahaka: Five notable gems from Te Matatini 2023

Te Matahaka: Five notable gems from Te Matatini 2023

30 Dec 2023
Over the next few weeks, Te Karere is profiling a different kapa haka as part of their special summer series on Te Matatini.
Dr Hana O’Regan uplifted by ‘inspiring response’ to government’s policies impacting te reo Māori

Dr Hana O’Regan uplifted by ‘inspiring response’ to government’s policies impacting te reo Māori

30 Dec 2023
Dr Hana O’Regan’s (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha) contribution to the revitalisation of te reo Māori and education over 30 years has been recognised in the New Year Honours.
Meet Perseus Ngapera: The Weet-Bix kid ‘kickstarting’ his reo Māori journey and first Kids TRYathlon

Meet Perseus Ngapera: The Weet-Bix kid ‘kickstarting’ his reo Māori journey and first Kids TRYathlon

24 Dec 2023
Hawke’s Bay 11-year-old Perseus Ngapera (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāpuhi) is confident he will have lots of whānau support when he takes part in his first Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon in Hastings in February.
Ngahiwi Apanui | Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori Chief Executive

Ngahiwi Apanui | Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori Chief Executive

22 Dec 2023
Reflecting on a great year for Te Reo Māori and its current growth.
Port of Auckland celebrates first te reo Māori graduates

Port of Auckland celebrates first te reo Māori graduates

22 Dec 2023
Pepeha, sentence structures, waiata and karakia made up the core of the curriculum.
Waihorotiu story revealed in urban park design

Waihorotiu story revealed in urban park design

22 Dec 2023
A second part of the project will open in March allowing visitors to interact with the art karaoke-style by singing waiata from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei composers Tarumai Kerehoma, Moeahi Kerehoma and Tuirina Wehi.
Broadcaster Oriini Kaipara leaving TV3 to take up Olympic role

Broadcaster Oriini Kaipara leaving TV3 to take up Olympic role

21 Dec 2023
Kaipara is the committee’s new pouwhiringa Māori cultural lead, helping guide the organisation, teams and athletes with her specialist reo, tikanga and wairua skills.
Māori activist Te Matahiapo Safari wins Amnesty International award

Māori activist Te Matahiapo Safari wins Amnesty International award

19 Dec 2023
Te Matahiapo Safari Hynes wants to create new online resources that inspire and inform.
Up to Speed with Te Reo Māori: Stacey Morrison looks at words in education

Up to Speed with Te Reo Māori: Stacey Morrison looks at words in education

18 Dec 2023
In this episode, we'll explore words related to mātauranga - education and knowledge.
Whakawhetai Gratitude author Hira Nathan’s plans for a mindfulness journal for tamariki

Whakawhetai Gratitude author Hira Nathan’s plans for a mindfulness journal for tamariki

17 Dec 2023
You might already have a copy of his bilingual gratitude journal, now Hira Nathan is collaborating with a friend on a special journal for 8 to 10-year-olds.
New Zealander of the Year

New Zealander of the Year

17 Dec 2023
“My reo journey is one of constant conflict. There are times when the reo just flows out of me, from a place that I believe lies somewhere both within and beyond myself. Then there are times I can’t even string a basic sentence together.” — Tīhema Baker.
Weekly Te Reo Māori Quiz: Rāhoroi, Tīhema 16

Weekly Te Reo Māori Quiz: Rāhoroi, Tīhema 16

16 Dec 2023
Test your kupu knowledge with our te reo Māori quiz.
Tik Tok’s ‘top live creator’ encourages aspiring rangatahi to create content

Tik Tok’s ‘top live creator’ encourages aspiring rangatahi to create content

13 Dec 2023
“I really wanted to have a go and you can only do that on TikTok,” he says. “That led to people asking questions about te Ao Māori and te Ao Moko.”
‘Auckland is Ngāpuhi’ - iwi event organiser

‘Auckland is Ngāpuhi’ - iwi event organiser

13 Dec 2023
The annual event will host well over 1,000 Ngāpuhi descendants in Manukau where whānau will learn waiata, haka, and the history of their iwi.
Up To Speed With Te Reo: Stacey Morrison explains types of hui - NZ Herald

Up To Speed With Te Reo: Stacey Morrison explains types of hui - NZ Herald

13 Dec 2023
Explaining large iwi events and hui you may hear of but aren't exactly sure what they are.
Māoridom mourns the loss of a great servant

Māoridom mourns the loss of a great servant

12 Dec 2023
“As in the great traditions of Uncle Jack Wihongi, Uncle Wikuki Kingi, Uncle Bob Jackson, all of whom were fluent Māori speakers, born in their rural tribal homelands, they became champions for the second great migration of Māori peoples into the urban areas."
Submissions flow on iwi bid to rename National Park village

Submissions flow on iwi bid to rename National Park village

12 Dec 2023
More than 180 submissions have been received in the first month of consultation on an iwi bid to change the name of National Park village and railway station in the central North Island.
Aspiring teen video game developer wants to see Māori, Sāmoan cultures in video games

Aspiring teen video game developer wants to see Māori, Sāmoan cultures in video games

12 Dec 2023
At age 10, Paetin Huch (Ngāpuhi, Magiagi) designed facial filters for her first app. The now 17-year-old has just finished her last exams at Manurewa High School and is now working towards telling Indigenous stories through video gaming.
What's the story? Govt agencies and their Māori names

What's the story? Govt agencies and their Māori names

09 Dec 2023
What's in a name? Te Ao Māori digital producer Mariana Whareaitu takes a look at the stories behind some government agencies' names to find out.
Whaea Esther Jessop & Ngati Ranana's sellout concert

Whaea Esther Jessop & Ngati Ranana's sellout concert

09 Dec 2023
More than sixty years ago, Esther Jessop and a few other Maori in London founded a little group in the suburb of Putney to meet and keep their language going.  
‘Makes me proud’: Te Kūiti marae goes viral for beautiful rendition of classic Te Reo waiata

‘Makes me proud’: Te Kūiti marae goes viral for beautiful rendition of classic Te Reo waiata

06 Dec 2023
The footage was shared to TikTok by Kiingitanga_Official and has racked up over 400k views and more than 30k likes.
Whakaata Māori Wins Best Live Event Award – NZ Television Awards 2023

Whakaata Māori Wins Best Live Event Award – NZ Television Awards 2023

05 Dec 2023
We also congratulate Te Imurangi Ltd for the beautifully created series Homesteads, this year’s winner of Te Māngai Paho Best Reo Māori Programme that we proudly broadcast on MĀORI+.
Far north family travel to Rarotonga to learn more about Te Reo

Far north family travel to Rarotonga to learn more about Te Reo

05 Dec 2023
A family from the far north has travelled to Rarotonga as they fight to preserve their language and learn more about their ancestors.
Panguru principal Mina Pomare-Peita receives major international award

Panguru principal Mina Pomare-Peita receives major international award

03 Dec 2023
As a young girl Mina Pomare-Peita saw big inequities in society, and particularly the education system, and was determined to do something about it.
Wairarapa kura piloting te reo Māori dyslexia screening tool

Wairarapa kura piloting te reo Māori dyslexia screening tool

03 Dec 2023
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Wairarapa is pilot testing a te reo Māori dyslexia screening tool to better support students.
Weekly Te Reo Māori Quiz: Rāhoroi, Tihema 2

Weekly Te Reo Māori Quiz: Rāhoroi, Tihema 2

02 Dec 2023
Have you noticed more te reo Māori featuring in some of our content? Test your kupu knowledge with our weekly te reo Māori quiz.
Cultural passion on display at eastside school event

Cultural passion on display at eastside school event

01 Dec 2023
E mea ana te pepeha a ngā pakeke, mate atu he tētēkura ara mai rā he tētēkura.
Non-speaking and Te Reo Māori communication boards unveiled in Ōtaki

Non-speaking and Te Reo Māori communication boards unveiled in Ōtaki

01 Dec 2023

Denise Hapeta, Chair of Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki, says the communication boards support Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki’s vision Kia Ukaipō Te Reo Māori ki Ōtaki for Ōtaki to be officially recognised as a bilingual town.

Welsh and Māori languages use music as a tool for revitalisation

Welsh and Māori languages use music as a tool for revitalisation

22 Nov 2023
Māori musicians are on song with Welsh music producers.
Te ingoa wāhi roa katoa i te ao

Te ingoa wāhi roa katoa i te ao

21 Nov 2023
I mōhio rānei koe kei Aotearoa te ingoa wāhi roa katoa i te ao? Āe, e pono mārika ana tēnei, me te aha, kei te reo Māori hoki taua ingoa rā.
Petone to Pito-one name change gets backing from Hutt City Council

Petone to Pito-one name change gets backing from Hutt City Council

21 Nov 2023
Pito-one became Petone following colonial settlement in the 19th century, a misspelling of the area's traditional name. Now, it may change back.
Whakatū Marae urges council to rename ‘colonial’ Founders Heritage Park

Whakatū Marae urges council to rename ‘colonial’ Founders Heritage Park

21 Nov 2023
In August, Whakatū Marae komiti chairperson Jane du Feu (Te Atiawa) wrote to the council urging it to “consider changing the name of the park to one that better acknowledges and respects the rich and cultural history of the region”.
Far north iwi gather for inaugural Te Hiku Maiangi o Muriwhenua festival

Far north iwi gather for inaugural Te Hiku Maiangi o Muriwhenua festival

21 Nov 2023
Kaiako Ngaire Tauhara-White says one of the main themes was for those outside of the rohe living to return to their marae to learn their histories.“Ko tētahi atu ko te ako i ngā kōrero, i ngā hītori o te kāinga, ka waiata hōu hoki.”
Māori art awards: Theater and film actor Rangimoana Taylor wins Supreme Award

Māori art awards: Theater and film actor Rangimoana Taylor wins Supreme Award

11 Nov 2023
Ngā Taonga Toi a Te Waka Toi Awards recognises the depth and wealth of Aotearoa's Māori artists.
Barber Shop Sessions to highlight Northland talent

Barber Shop Sessions to highlight Northland talent

10 Nov 2023
Barber Shop Sessions is a six-part music documentary series featuring intimate live recorded waiata sessions by a new wave of rangatahi Māori artists from the North.
Helping to revitalise Moriori culture

Helping to revitalise Moriori culture

09 Nov 2023
Rēkohu musician Ajay Peni is bringing traditional Moriori songs into contemporary times.
Māori musicians mentor Mānoa students in contemporary song compositions

Māori musicians mentor Mānoa students in contemporary song compositions

07 Nov 2023
The award-winning Hawaiian Theatre program brought in guest artists from Aotearoa (New Zealand) to help students compose songs.
Te Whakamāori i ngā Kiriata Disney

Te Whakamāori i ngā Kiriata Disney

07 Nov 2023
Kei te mōhio rānei koe e whā (ka rima ākuanei) ngā kiriata Disney kua whakamāoritia? Engari, ko wai te tangata tuatahi i whakamāori i tētahi kiriata Disney?
‘Not a win for the All Blacks but it was a win for te reo Māori’

‘Not a win for the All Blacks but it was a win for te reo Māori’

04 Nov 2023
Nearly 100,000 people tuned into the te reo commentary of the Rugby World Cup, across Sky Sport and Sky Sport Now.
School haka trophy Tamaki Makaurau bound

School haka trophy Tamaki Makaurau bound

03 Nov 2023
Te Kapa Puāwai is heading home to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi with the Poutoko o Te Whenua, the trophy from the national primary schools kapa haka, in it luggage.
Support for tourist village to restore ‘most beautiful name’

Support for tourist village to restore ‘most beautiful name’

03 Nov 2023
An iwi bid to change the name of National Park back to Waimarino has been accepted by the Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa NZ Geographic Board.
TupuOra offers Māori tutoring programme for kura and wharekura

TupuOra offers Māori tutoring programme for kura and wharekura

01 Nov 2023
Tuku Marumaru is a personalised tutoring programme matching kaiako and specialist tutors with ākonga in years 7-13 at kura kaupapa and wharekura who want to level up on their reo and mātauranga.
Kapa haka teacher recognised for inspiring rangatahi

Kapa haka teacher recognised for inspiring rangatahi

01 Nov 2023
Ed Te Moana is a study in pride, dedication and talent. "It's incredibly humbling."I just want my students to know they are worthy, feel empowered and realise they can conquer anything at school, at home and in the community."
Primary school kapa haka contest Te Mana Kuratahi kicks off in Nelson

Primary school kapa haka contest Te Mana Kuratahi kicks off in Nelson

30 Oct 2023
More than 1500 kapa haka performers from primary schools across Aotearoa are performing at a national competition in Whakatū Nelson this week.
Kia Hiwa Rā! quiz show 'Brain Busters' coming in te reo Māori

Kia Hiwa Rā! quiz show 'Brain Busters' coming in te reo Māori

18 Oct 2023
Move over Lucky Dip, the kids are coming to town in BRAIN BUSTERS reo Māori, presented by co-hosts, Ahikāroa star Turia Schmidt-Peke, popular TV personality Sonny Ngatai and the “O.G.” Brain Buster himself, Chris Kirk.
Māori sports app shares veteran broadcaster's vast dictionary

Māori sports app shares veteran broadcaster's vast dictionary

17 Oct 2023
After decades of collecting te reo Māori words for sports terms, sports commentator Hemana Waaka discovered he'd come up with something like an encyclopedia. The 77-year-old is sharing his knowledge via the new Māori sports dictionary app Ipurangi Pāmamao.
The role of English-medium schools in revitalising Te Reo Māori

The role of English-medium schools in revitalising Te Reo Māori

17 Oct 2023
To truly put Te Tiriti at the heart of our education system, English-language schools must support Te Reo Māori revitalisation.
Tamaiti akona ki te kāinga, tūngia ki te ao, tau ana

Tamaiti akona ki te kāinga, tūngia ki te ao, tau ana

11 Oct 2023
Ko tētehi o ngā tino hua o ngā tau e 25 nō te mokotanga o te kokoraho a Ngāi Tahu ko te puāwaitanga o tētehi whakatipuranga e tū māia ana i roto i tō rātou Kāi Tahutanga.
Bilingual voting booths set up to entice Māori to vote

Bilingual voting booths set up to entice Māori to vote

11 Oct 2023
Fifteen bilingual voting booths, also known as Kaupapa Māori locations, are being stood up around the country to help get more Māori voting. Voting place manager Kanewa Harrison revealed they’ve had an influx of new enrolments and voters, from rangatahi to kaumātua.
Taupō teacher a real good sort

Taupō teacher a real good sort

10 Oct 2023
A local teacher has been recognised for doing it all, from kapa haka to teacher training.
ARAHI and Te Tokotoru release new single - Te Hekenga

ARAHI and Te Tokotoru release new single - Te Hekenga

10 Oct 2023
‘Te Hekenga’ speaks of a new generation of Māori, coming through and navigating our tikanga in a modern world.
One year scholarship awarded at Te Wānanga o Raukawa Open Day

One year scholarship awarded at Te Wānanga o Raukawa Open Day

09 Oct 2023
"He hiahia nōku ki te mau ki ngā whakaakoranga me ngā mōhiotanga katoa e eke ai au ki ngā tihi taumata, ka mutu, kia riro i ngā tamariki ngā painga huhua o tēnei ao.”
AI helps Kiwis engage with te reo Māori by watching TV

AI helps Kiwis engage with te reo Māori by watching TV

06 Oct 2023
Media intelligence company Isentia is introducing AI-powered tools to help Kiwis watch te reo Māori content on TV.
Reo Māori Debate In Whangārei Celebrates Mahuru Māori

Reo Māori Debate In Whangārei Celebrates Mahuru Māori

06 Oct 2023
A huge effort by Te Kupenga Reo to host several te reo Māori events across September in celebration of Mahuru Māori with the final event on Saturday the 30th in Whangārei.
‘Ancient wisdom of sand art’ a feature of free resource for te reo Māori learners

‘Ancient wisdom of sand art’ a feature of free resource for te reo Māori learners

05 Oct 2023
Te Onekura's a 12-part video series that combines oneone art and kōrero between a koro and his mokopuna to support ākonga at all levels of their reo journey.
Four Square launches te Reo Māori shopping app Rārangi Kai

Four Square launches te Reo Māori shopping app Rārangi Kai

04 Oct 2023
The best Te Wiki o te Reo Māori projects are the ones that exist all year round, like Four Square’s Rārangi Kai app, in collaboration with RUN and FCB Aotearoa.
Limited Edition Release For Summer

Limited Edition Release For Summer

04 Oct 2023
Now in its eighth year, this year's L&P summer edition will feature English and te reo Māori together on the same can for the first time.
Te reo Māori focus of child centre study

Te reo Māori focus of child centre study

29 Sep 2023
A new University of Otago study has emphasised how important early childhood educators are in preserving and promoting te reo Māori in English.
‘It helps our tamariki grow in their responsibilities’

‘It helps our tamariki grow in their responsibilities’

29 Sep 2023
The environment and Māori identity hot topics among rangatahi at Ngā Manu Kōrero.
South Taranaki council takes on local te reo Māori styles

South Taranaki council takes on local te reo Māori styles

27 Sep 2023
STDC’s Reg Korau said using local versions of te reo built trust with iwi and hapū.
Hundreds gather to farewell Māori leader Sir Patu Hohepa

Hundreds gather to farewell Māori leader Sir Patu Hohepa

26 Sep 2023
Tā Patu Hohepa, who died at his South Hokianga home on Friday, aged 87, was a leading authority on te reo Māori, genealogy and linguistics.
We are developing people who are knowledgeable in history

We are developing people who are knowledgeable in history

26 Sep 2023
Efforts by Ngāti Whātua to revive the Māori language and customary practices among iwi members are paying off in Auckland and Kaipara.
Ngā Manu Kōrero ‘fantastic’ for rangatahi and wider Ngāi Tahu community

Ngā Manu Kōrero ‘fantastic’ for rangatahi and wider Ngāi Tahu community

19 Sep 2023
“This event is a fantastic opportunity not only for rakatahi but for our wider community,” says Paulette Tamati-Elliffe, the manager of Kotahi Mano Kāika - the iwi strategy to revigorate te reo Māori within Ngāi Tahu homes - at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
Mahuru Māori: Month for speaking te reo returns for 2023

Mahuru Māori: Month for speaking te reo returns for 2023

16 Sep 2023

Mahuru Māori, the month-long kaupapa aiming at normalising te reo in everyday situations is back for 2023.

Interest in learning te reo Māori grows amid goal for one million speakers

Interest in learning te reo Māori grows amid goal for one million speakers

15 Sep 2023
Demand for te reo courses has surged over the past few years, but teachers and students still face some challenges.
Actor Miriama McDowell pauses career to learn te reo Māori

Actor Miriama McDowell pauses career to learn te reo Māori

14 Sep 2023
Playing a prominent Māori leader on screen has prompted successful Kiwi actor Miriama McDowell to turn her back on her career in favour of learning te reo Māori.
How Māori are keeping te reo flourishing overseas

How Māori are keeping te reo flourishing overseas

14 Sep 2023
With podcasts, online classes, kapa haka and kōhanga reo all around the world, whānau living overseas are doing their best to keep te wiki o te reo Māori thriving.
Kiri Dell: Te reo Māori as a vehicle for decolonising the nation

Kiri Dell: Te reo Māori as a vehicle for decolonising the nation

13 Sep 2023
As we progress our te reo Māori aspirations for the country, we are also opening up big conversations around how we can decolonise our nation.
Tearepa Kahi: 'I want to normalise te reo Māori'

Tearepa Kahi: 'I want to normalise te reo Māori'

13 Sep 2023
The director of Muru, New Zealand's highest grossing film of 2022, says it has helped normalise and showcase the unique te reo Māori dialect spoken by the people of Tūhoe.
Kruze Tangira: 'I now feel more confident about being Māori'

Kruze Tangira: 'I now feel more confident about being Māori'

12 Sep 2023
Two years ago, Kruze Tangira could only read his pepeha off his phone. Now he's building a new career as a TV presenter on daily Māori news show Te Karere.
Embracing te reo Māori in early childhood education

Embracing te reo Māori in early childhood education

11 Sep 2023
NZTC graduate, Raewyn Moke, showcases the importance of te reo Māori inclusion in an ECE environment.
TVNZ's specials for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) this year

TVNZ's specials for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) this year

11 Sep 2023
TVNZ celebrates Māori Language Week 2023 with exciting programs, including Moko The World and Origins Season Two.
Māori Language Week: Looking ahead to Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori in Hawke's Bay

Māori Language Week: Looking ahead to Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori in Hawke's Bay

11 Sep 2023
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, Māori language week, has gone “from strength to strength” according to Ngāti Kahungunu iwi chairman Bayden Barber, as the region prepares to celebrate this year.
Rising star reporter loves telling stories through te ao Māori lens

Rising star reporter loves telling stories through te ao Māori lens

11 Sep 2023
The Hui's D'Angelo Martin was once told he'd never go far with te reo Māori.
Why did I want to learn reo Māori, despite being a Pākehā?

Why did I want to learn reo Māori, despite being a Pākehā?

11 Sep 2023
Irishman Jim Mahoney explains why he learnt the language of the land.
Te wiki o te reo Māori, September 11-18 2023

Te wiki o te reo Māori, September 11-18 2023

11 Sep 2023
Ko tōku reo tōku ohooho, ko tōku reo tōku māpihi maurea | My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my soul. Dr Tīmoti Kāretu.
With a name comes a kaupapa: The history of Māori names of significance in Feilding

With a name comes a kaupapa: The history of Māori names of significance in Feilding

11 Sep 2023
Many of the te reo names in Feilding and the surrounding area can be traced back to how Māori settled in the area and their early ways of life.
First flag flying high as Upper Hutt school marks Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

First flag flying high as Upper Hutt school marks Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

11 Sep 2023
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori language week) is off to a flying start at St Joseph’s Catholic School (Te Kura Katorika o Hāto Hohepa) with the school raising the Tino Rangatiratanga for the first time on its new flagpole.
Te reo Māori inspires Native American to save her own indigenous language from extinction

Te reo Māori inspires Native American to save her own indigenous language from extinction

11 Sep 2023
Experiencing the revitalisation of te reo Māori in Aotearoa is inspiring a Native American scholar battling to save her own indigenous language from extinction.
Kei te ora te reo Māori i Ngāti Raukawa

Kei te ora te reo Māori i Ngāti Raukawa

10 Sep 2023

Hai tā te Kaipāpāhō i ‘Te Reo Irirangi o Te Upoko o te Ika’ hai tā Manahi Te Hiakai Gardiner kua whanake pai te iwi o Ngāti Raukawa mō te taha ki ngā mahi whakaora reo.

Blending the wine world with te ao Māori

Blending the wine world with te ao Māori

10 Sep 2023
Māori are involved in all aspects of production, from what's in the bottle to the bottle itself.
He whakamāori i ngā tini āhuatanga o te ao ‘Shortland St’ mai, tohutaka ‘Bic Mac’ mai anō hoki

He whakamāori i ngā tini āhuatanga o te ao ‘Shortland St’ mai, tohutaka ‘Bic Mac’ mai anō hoki

10 Sep 2023
Hai tā Kimo Houltham, Kaiwhakataki i ‘Whakamāori’ he hōtaka tēnei hai whakawhānui ake i te tirohanga, hai whakawhānui hoki i te whakaaro ki tēnei mea te whakamāori.
South Canterbury set to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with host of events

South Canterbury set to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with host of events

10 Sep 2023
As the country prepares to celebrate one of its official languages, the principal of South Canterbury’s bilingual primary school says the celebrations are a testament as to how far the country has come.
Shortland Street set to chill with new te reo theme song

Shortland Street set to chill with new te reo theme song

10 Sep 2023
For the first time in its 31 years on air, the Hoterini Huanui (Shortland Street) theme will be a little different.
11 people share why they’re learning te reo Māori

11 people share why they’re learning te reo Māori

10 Sep 2023
The reasons people choose to learn te reo Māori run deep, especially when the disappearance of the language is linked to a history of dislocation. But more and more New Zealanders are now taking up the challenge.
Want to support te reo Māori? Learn about colonisation

Want to support te reo Māori? Learn about colonisation

10 Sep 2023

“The notion that Māori are responsible for our own language decline is a convenient argument. It absolves the Crown of its responsibilities to make right its many wrongs.” — Awanui Te Huia.

Te reo Māori teacher Hēmi Kelly finds meaning in the language of birds

Te reo Māori teacher Hēmi Kelly finds meaning in the language of birds

10 Sep 2023
I didn't grow up speaking te reo Māori. I learned it as a second language through school and various language learning programmes. In attending courses, I found my Māori-speaking community, my friends who allowed me space to learn and practise together.
Singer Riiki Reid on her new Waiata with Muroki - Kārewa

Singer Riiki Reid on her new Waiata with Muroki - Kārewa

09 Sep 2023
It's Waiata Anthems week - and Raglan based Kenyan/NZ musician Muroki and Ngāti Porou singer RIIKI REID have teamed up to record their first original composition in te reo Māori – A heartfelt waiata for those going through a tough time.
Decorative art exhibition a show for all ages

Decorative art exhibition a show for all ages

08 Sep 2023
With next week being Te Wiki o te Reo Māori it seems a good opportunity to consider this heru in terms of its name and the language used to describe it.
Toi Māori Arts take centrestage this weekend

Toi Māori Arts take centrestage this weekend

08 Sep 2023
The latest from Creative Waikato is a vibrant showcase of Toi Māori arts and culture: the Toi Maaori ki Kirikiriroa Waananga which includes a two-day artist wānanga of learning and sharing on September 8-9.
PB Tech launches Te Reo Māori Keyboard

PB Tech launches Te Reo Māori Keyboard

08 Sep 2023
​PB Tech has unveiled a te reo Māori keyboard with the support of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – Māori Language Commission and Te Puni Kōkiri, the government’s principal policy advisor on Māori wellbeing and development.
Reo champions Tāwhirimātea, Kaa Williams honoured

Reo champions Tāwhirimātea, Kaa Williams honoured

08 Sep 2023
The husband-and-wife duo have served at least 50 years within the education sector, fostering a generation of Māori speakers during a time when such a thing was unheard of.
An Open Letter to Aotearoa ahead of Māori Language Week 2023

An Open Letter to Aotearoa ahead of Māori Language Week 2023

08 Sep 2023
I thought long and hard about how to respond to the cries from some to limit our language. Their cries aren’t new, they’re as old as New Zealand. But how we respond to them has changed.
Moriori call for official week to celebrate indigenous language

Moriori call for official week to celebrate indigenous language

07 Sep 2023
Moriori, who are the original inhabitants of Rēkohu, the Chatham Islands, want to revitalise their language, showcase traditions and debunk commonly held myths.
Learn te reo Māori and shop

Learn te reo Māori and shop

06 Sep 2023
In a region with the most te reo Māori speakers in the country, Mike Turney and his team at Four Square Tokomaru Bay in Gisborne feel it's important to stay connected with the local community and encourage people to speak te reo whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Shane Taurima to lead Whakaata Māori for a further term

Shane Taurima to lead Whakaata Māori for a further term

30 Aug 2023
Shane Taurima (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) has been reappointed Whakaata Māori kaihautū (chief executive) for another five-year term.
Ngā Taupānga Reo Māori

Ngā Taupānga Reo Māori

28 Aug 2023
Anei ētahi tauira hei tirotiro māu, hei whāki atu rānei ki ngā hoa e ngana nei pea ki te whakapakari ake i ō rātou mōhiotanga ki te reo.
Iconic Edmonds cookbook translated into Māori

Iconic Edmonds cookbook translated into Māori

28 Aug 2023
The Edmonds brand has been a kitchen staple in homes across the country for well over a century. Now, a version of the children's My First Cookbook is set to be available in te reo Māori.
Actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand to join Māori Language Commission

Actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand to join Māori Language Commission

23 Aug 2023
Acclaimed actress and film producer Jennifer Ward-Lealand is set to be a new addition to Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Commission.
Ngā Kēmu Reo Māori

Ngā Kēmu Reo Māori

22 Aug 2023
Kei te kimi rānei koe i ētahi kēmu pārekareka i roto i te reo Māori hei tākaro tahi me tō whānau, me ō hoa?
Māori tertiary providers and kura kaupapa win increased flexibility, autonomy

Māori tertiary providers and kura kaupapa win increased flexibility, autonomy

17 Aug 2023
Māori tertiary education providers have long argued for a change of law for more independence to reflect the way they operate and work with iwi. Their role has finally been recognised in an amendment to the law, as well as the unique role they play in the education system.
Demand soars for Ngāti Kahungunu te reo Māori symposium - director

Demand soars for Ngāti Kahungunu te reo Māori symposium - director

14 Aug 2023
1200 tickets for the two-day event in Hastings were snapped up within hours.
Bilingual pukapuka takes top prize at Children’s Book Awards for the first time

Bilingual pukapuka takes top prize at Children’s Book Awards for the first time

11 Aug 2023
For the first time a bilingual book has taken out the top prize at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Global call to protect indigenous languages by law

Global call to protect indigenous languages by law

09 Aug 2023
To mark International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we are releasing the address given by Māori Language Commissioner Professor Rawinia Higgins to the United Nations General Assembly in December 2022.
Te Matatini gifts a trilingual waiata to New Zealand Rugby

Te Matatini gifts a trilingual waiata to New Zealand Rugby

05 Aug 2023
When the All Blacks face off against Australia in their Bledisloe Cup clash this afternoon they will be armed with a waiata which is a celebration of haka, music and language.
What wānanga means to Māori

What wānanga means to Māori

02 Aug 2023
Essentially, it's a method of sharing and acquiring knowledge in a uniquely Māori way.
36 years of te reo Māori as an official language

36 years of te reo Māori as an official language

01 Aug 2023
The first thing the inaugural board of the Māori Language Commission did when it met for the first time was to change its name to a Māori one: Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.
Shaneel Lal: Bilingual signs are here to stay

Shaneel Lal: Bilingual signs are here to stay

23 Jul 2023
Opinion: Confusion, misunderstanding, racism is no defence for opposing them.
Introducing the first Te Tohu Paerua o Te Reo Kairangi graduates

Introducing the first Te Tohu Paerua o Te Reo Kairangi graduates

21 Jul 2023
The first masters of Māori language have graduated from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Te Reo Kairangi programme.
Letting their creativity flow into ‘The River’

Letting their creativity flow into ‘The River’

21 Jul 2023
Karehana believes more te reo Māori media can showcase the culture.
Te Hiku tests reo tools for disabled

Te Hiku tests reo tools for disabled

12 Jul 2023
Te Hiku Media and TalkLink Trust are doing a Te Puni Kokiri-funded feasibility study on whether they can create a synthetic reo Māori voice for use in the devices used by tāngata whaikaha Māori who have difficulties in the production or comprehension of language.
Matariki: Kids to greet travellers in te reo at Auckland Airport

Matariki: Kids to greet travellers in te reo at Auckland Airport

12 Jul 2023
Children speaking te reo will greet travellers as they arrive and depart from Auckland Airport on Matariki.
New branding for University of Otago

New branding for University of Otago

11 Jul 2023
For the first time in 154 years, the University of Otago will substantially change its brand.
Rising stars: Te Aorere Pewhairangi and Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne

Rising stars: Te Aorere Pewhairangi and Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne

06 Jul 2023
Media producers are proof learning in te reo Māori can be a springboard to great career.
Artificial intelligence revives Māori dialects

Artificial intelligence revives Māori dialects

06 Jul 2023
Aaron Smale reports on how artificial intelligence may provide a way for Māori to learn the dialects of their grandparents.
Māori and Moriori place names maps launched

Māori and Moriori place names maps launched

04 Jul 2023
The New Zealand Geographic Board has launched a new set of tangata whenua place names maps as they were prior to European settlement.
Watch: 'Love and respect' - Conversation in te reo Māori and Mandarin goes viral

Watch: 'Love and respect' - Conversation in te reo Māori and Mandarin goes viral

22 Jun 2023
'An example of what is possible if we open our hearts and minds'
Does everyone have a right to learn te reo Māori? | 2 Cents 2 Much video icon

Does everyone have a right to learn te reo Māori? | 2 Cents 2 Much

19 Jun 2023
The revitalisation of te reo Māori is well underway and more and more New Zealanders are (re)learning the language.
Impressive young orators push important topics at Ngā Manu Kōrero

Impressive young orators push important topics at Ngā Manu Kōrero

13 Jun 2023
Students spoke impressively in te reo Māori and English at the Manawatū Horowhenua Ngā Manu Kōrero speech competition at The Regent on Broadway on Monday.
Pacific language leaders seek action plan for indigenous development

Pacific language leaders seek action plan for indigenous development

13 Jun 2023
More than 300 Pacific language experts will gather in Auckland this week for the first Pacific languages conference, Koloa. They are set to honour tangata whenua for their leadership with te reo Māori revitalisation in Aotearoa.
Ngāti Porou influence in Coco translation

Ngāti Porou influence in Coco translation

12 Jun 2023
Producer Tweedie Waititi says there are whakapapa links between Spain and Ngati Porou which are coming into play in a te reo Māori version of the Pixar animated film Coco.
40 hours of te reo - a rangatahi's goal

40 hours of te reo - a rangatahi's goal

09 Jun 2023
Hemi Pinfold Whanga is not fluent but will take on the daunting reo challenge for charity.
Whanganui school staff back in class for te reo programme

Whanganui school staff back in class for te reo programme

09 Jun 2023
Staff from five Whanganui schools have been on the other side of the classroom participating in a Ministry of Education programme to boost te reo Māori in schools. The purpose of the programme was to develop the use of te reo in communities.
Reclaiming Rutene: How a name helped a photographer find his home

Reclaiming Rutene: How a name helped a photographer find his home

09 Jun 2023
After ditching his ingoa Māori at the beginning of his career, photographer Zico O’Neill-Rutene is now in a process of reclaiming that part of his whakapapa – the Rutene name, and all the mana that comes with it.
'Cream on the cake': Local honoured for services to Māori language

'Cream on the cake': Local honoured for services to Māori language

06 Jun 2023
Te Maari Anahera Whare has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Kete Kai hosted by former MasterChef judge will encourage te reo Māori in kitchen

Kete Kai hosted by former MasterChef judge will encourage te reo Māori in kitchen

05 Jun 2023
Rex Morgan will be joined on the series by guest Māori language advocates.
Taika Waititi Nails The Problem With Diversity In Hollywood... Almost

Taika Waititi Nails The Problem With Diversity In Hollywood... Almost

05 Jun 2023
After greeting the audience in te reo Māori, Waititi begins his speech with a cheeky statement.
Translator casts net wide

Translator casts net wide

02 Jun 2023
Ms Mason was this week invested as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori language education. She says growing up in Ruatoki, te reo Māori was her first language, and it has always given her comfort.
What New Zealand's proposed bilingual signs look like

What New Zealand's proposed bilingual signs look like

30 May 2023
The proposals cover 94 types of signs.
Hastings council set to add te reo Māori translations to 20 new directional road signs

Hastings council set to add te reo Māori translations to 20 new directional road signs

24 May 2023
New directional road signs will include te reo Māori translations.
Tipene Kura to finally reopen after 25 year wait

Tipene Kura to finally reopen after 25 year wait

24 May 2023
The re-opening of the oldest Māori boarding school in Aotearoa appears to be a step closer, with confirmation of a powerhouse couple returning to Auckland to oversee the re-establishment of Tipene/St Stephen's School.
Bilingual traffic signs in te reo Māori edge closer to reality

Bilingual traffic signs in te reo Māori edge closer to reality

22 May 2023
Ninety-four traffic signs are being released for public consultation as part of an effort to make te reo Māori more visible in Aotearoa.
A waiata to ‘uplift, inspire and motivate’ - Kaea Hills

A waiata to ‘uplift, inspire and motivate’ - Kaea Hills

20 May 2023
"The waiata was written as though it was a message from my grandmothers for my safe journey in life. I hope this waiata has impact — that it can be universal in the way it makes people feel."
'You can’t speak what you can’t hear' – how Māori and Pacific sports stars are helping revitalise vulnerable languages

'You can’t speak what you can’t hear' – how Māori and Pacific sports stars are helping revitalise vulnerable languages

19 May 2023
More Indigenous sports stars are speaking their mother tongues in TV interviews and elsewhere. The challenge now is to develop truly bilingual commentary teams to keep the ball alive.
More Māori Than Ever Before Answer The Call, But Funding Still Falls Short | Te Mātāwai

More Māori Than Ever Before Answer The Call, But Funding Still Falls Short | Te Mātāwai

18 May 2023
This year, Te Mātāwai received an incredible five hundred applications, marking an almost one hundred percent increase from last year.
‘I want to unlock the kupu from my throat’: Witi Ihimaera - The Gisborne Herald

‘I want to unlock the kupu from my throat’: Witi Ihimaera - The Gisborne Herald

17 May 2023
“The English language had been like a rope to me. It’s been that colonised language that I have been using to write my work”.
SPCA provides story books in te reo to Māori education providers across Aotearoa

SPCA provides story books in te reo to Māori education providers across Aotearoa

15 May 2023
SPCA is providing books in Te Reo to schools who teach te reo.
New immersive app tells history and stories of Mataatua

New immersive app tells history and stories of Mataatua

14 May 2023
The app Te Waka Tipua o Mata-Atua tells the history and stories of the ancestral canoe.
Lessons from the Auckland Art Gallery’s typos in te reo Māori

Lessons from the Auckland Art Gallery’s typos in te reo Māori

08 May 2023
The Auckland Art Gallery missed large typos in Māori outside their building for five weeks. An expert highlights the need for quality control.
Waiata Māori goes down well with tamariki in Australia

Waiata Māori goes down well with tamariki in Australia

08 May 2023
“Our people here in Australia are thirsting for any content that reflects our reo and our culture to share with their babies,” says Nicolla Morehouse.
Who really cares about te reo Māori in their business?

Who really cares about te reo Māori in their business?

05 May 2023
OPINION: It’s easy for companies to cosplay as allies for one week of the year.
Singers of marginalized languages connect a world apart - Taipei Times

Singers of marginalized languages connect a world apart - Taipei Times

03 May 2023
Maori group Half/Time to perform alongside Welsh-language artists in Wales part of musical cultural exchange.
Why Kura Kaupapa is telling Government it needs equitable funding, doesn't want to be assimilated into mainstream

Why Kura Kaupapa is telling Government it needs equitable funding, doesn't want to be assimilated into mainstream

30 Apr 2023
Data shows the Kura Kaupapa model provides far better results for Māori than mainstream education.
Parliament's first te reo Māori outreach

Parliament's first te reo Māori outreach

30 Apr 2023
MPs have joined Parliament's Speaker in visiting regional New Zealand for five years, but for the first time a Speaker's outreach has gone all-in on Te Reo Māori at an immersion Kura.
Māori language educator Wally Penetito honoured with Te Whare Pūkenga Award

Māori language educator Wally Penetito honoured with Te Whare Pūkenga Award

29 Apr 2023
Wally Penetito was recognised for significantly impacting the lives of Māori across Aotearoa.
First police station with all external signage in te reo Māori opens

First police station with all external signage in te reo Māori opens

21 Apr 2023
A new police base in the small Bay of Plenty town of Tāneatua has opened after a fire destroyed the town's station in 2018.
Te reo cricket commentary available for first time at upcoming T20

Te reo cricket commentary available for first time at upcoming T20

31 Mar 2023
Sunday's Black Caps v Sri Lanka T20 on Spark, TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ will for the first time offer English and te reo Māori options.
Māori astronomy expert Rangi Mātāmua named New Zealander of the Year

Māori astronomy expert Rangi Mātāmua named New Zealander of the Year

30 Mar 2023
Mātāmua has been recognised for his continued efforts to push Matauranga Māori to the forefront, to better connect Aotearoa with the whenua and wairua shared by all.
Webber taking late koro and Sean Wainui with him on te reo journey

Webber taking late koro and Sean Wainui with him on te reo journey

29 Mar 2023
All Blacks Sevens star Joe Webber will miss the final four tournaments of this year's circuit to be part of Te Tohu Paetahi, a total immersion Māori language programme.
Māori historian Ross Calman granted honorary doctorate for work revitalising te reo

Māori historian Ross Calman granted honorary doctorate for work revitalising te reo

28 Mar 2023
When Ross Calman first enrolled at university, he had only a superficial knowledge of te reo and his whakapapa.
Keeping the flow: the use of te reo at Parliament

Keeping the flow: the use of te reo at Parliament

22 Mar 2023
An increased appetite to learn te reo Māori among different parts of the Parliament system means the work of the Māori Language Service is in demand more than ever.
Lenovo Focuses on Digital Inclusion with Launch of Bilingual Keyboard - Lenovo StoryHub

Lenovo Focuses on Digital Inclusion with Launch of Bilingual Keyboard - Lenovo StoryHub

21 Mar 2023
Latest evolution of keyboard champions indigenous Māori culture, by enabling Aotearoa New Zealanders to communicate bilingually.
Mo Māori, no problem: Oxford English Dictionary includes Māori words

Mo Māori, no problem: Oxford English Dictionary includes Māori words

20 Mar 2023
The oldest Māori word in this new update is 'whenua' meaning ‘land or piece of land belonging to a Māori person or native land of a Māori group.’
Chur e hoa: It's all part of the new Oxford English Dictionary

Chur e hoa: It's all part of the new Oxford English Dictionary

15 Mar 2023
Everyday Māori words make it to the new Oxford Dictionary.
How Te Matatini made the whole world Māori

How Te Matatini made the whole world Māori

07 Mar 2023
It's over a week since the competition came to an end – but its impact endures.
New bilingual signs replace te reo welcome to Nelson

New bilingual signs replace te reo welcome to Nelson

15 Feb 2023
The new signs replace the Haere Mai ki Whakatū signs that have been in place since Te Wiki o te reo Māori in 2020.
‘Per my last email’ and other ways to be passive aggressive at work – in Māori

‘Per my last email’ and other ways to be passive aggressive at work – in Māori

06 Feb 2023
‘That doesn't belong in the dishwasher’ and more handy te reo Māori phrases for the modern office
'We need to work together,' says pakeha teacher of Te Reo Māori

'We need to work together,' says pakeha teacher of Te Reo Māori

06 Feb 2023
A 76-year-old man is on a mission to encourage Kiwis to learn Te Reo Māori, offering free lessons in his hometown to anyone interested in the language and culture he says improved his life.
Non-Māori are embracing te reo - but there’s more to it than language

Non-Māori are embracing te reo - but there’s more to it than language

04 Feb 2023
Opinion - As we approach another Waitangi Day, we should be thinking again about what Te Tiriti o Waitangi means.
With or without my reo, I have always been Māori

With or without my reo, I have always been Māori

02 Feb 2023
The daughter of a reo Māori activist, Ramari Jackson-Paniora surprisingly didn't grow up with her reo. Now she is reclaiming that taonga.
Kapiti or Kāpiti? The ongoing saga of the moving macron

Kapiti or Kāpiti? The ongoing saga of the moving macron

25 Jan 2023
There's a lot more to it than just the spelling.
New knight Sir Haare Williams a champion of te reo and education

New knight Sir Haare Williams a champion of te reo and education

31 Dec 2022
Pioneer Māori broadcaster Dr Haare Williams has been appointed a knight for services to Māori, literature and education.
A momentous year for te reo Māori

A momentous year for te reo Māori

22 Dec 2022
This year saw a surge in awareness of te reo Māori – thanks to decades of parents, grandparents, teachers and leaders refusing to give up.
Young Kiwis want Māori language honoured at work

Young Kiwis want Māori language honoured at work

29 Nov 2022
Young Kiwis want Māori language, tikanga and Te Tiriti principles honoured at work.
Embracing the inbetween cultures of my Puerto Rican, Pākehā, Māori family

Embracing the inbetween cultures of my Puerto Rican, Pākehā, Māori family

09 Nov 2022
Elisa Rivera is learning to find the beauty in the balance of cultures within her whānau.
Combining passions for te reo and baking

Combining passions for te reo and baking

09 Nov 2022
Writing her first cookbook has been a labour of love for former South Otago woman Naomi Toilalo,  as she takes her passion for learning te reo and...
Kaitaia's very first reo Māori crossfit gym opens video icon

Kaitaia's very first reo Māori crossfit gym opens

07 Nov 2022
A reo Māori crossfit gym has opened in Kataia, “Whitirau” created by two reo speaking mums. They wanted to create a gym dedicated to normalising te reo Māori...
Real Estate NZ translates guides into Māori and other languages

Real Estate NZ translates guides into Māori and other languages

19 Oct 2022
23 per cent of those who bought their first home in the past 12 months were Māori.
First and only te reo Māori Qur'an visits Rotorua

First and only te reo Māori Qur'an visits Rotorua

07 Nov 2022
Copies of the first and only te reo Māori translation of the Qur'an were displayed at the Rotorua Night Markets last Thursday. The initiative to translate the Qur'an into te reo Māori took translator Shakil Monir 25 years.
Challenges ahead as interest in Māori dialects grows

Challenges ahead as interest in Māori dialects grows

20 Oct 2022
As more and more Māori reclaim their language, many are growing curious about the rangi or dialect of their own iwi, but for some, this is proving challenging.
Research journey into ties between Māori well-being and te reo

Research journey into ties between Māori well-being and te reo

06 Nov 2022
An University of Auckland lecturer is about to embark on a three-year project to see how Māori well-being is revitalising, alongside te reo.
Research journey into ties between Māori well-being and te reo

Research journey into ties between Māori well-being and te reo

06 Nov 2022
An University of Auckland lecturer is about to embark on a three-year project to see how Māori well-being is revitalising, alongside te reo.
Frozen Reo Maori impresses Disney

Frozen Reo Maori impresses Disney

26 Oct 2022
"For our babies to be able to experience and hear their language in such big public spaces like this, to make it māmā to make it Māori, to make it normal, is so important for them."
Whakaata Māori steps into batter's cage to screen men's Softball World Cup

Whakaata Māori steps into batter's cage to screen men's Softball World Cup

22 Oct 2022
All 50 World Cup Softball games to be screened live on Whakaata Māori
The award-winning app making te reo Māori more accessible

The award-winning app making te reo Māori more accessible

14 Oct 2022
It just picked up a prestigious Gold Pin at the Best Design Awards. So what does ReoAko actually do?
Māori place names to stay on MetService website

Māori place names to stay on MetService website

03 Oct 2022
Te reo Māori names are to have a permanent home on MetService's website.
Microsoft on mission to spread the word - in te reo Māori

Microsoft on mission to spread the word - in te reo Māori

29 Sep 2022
The project is in collaboration with Māori-founded tech firm Straker Translations. The founder and CEO, Grant Straker of Ngāti Raukawa, said this was an idea he had to support the growth and continuation of te reo Māori in Aotearoa.
Hundreds queue for Costco opening day; shoppers hoping for bargains

Hundreds queue for Costco opening day; shoppers hoping for bargains

28 Sep 2022
First, its signs are the only ones in a Costco internationally to be in te reo Māori as well as English. Using the language was an obvious move for the retailer. So pharmacy is te kēmehi, the meat department is labelled ngā miti, the bakery is hua parāoa, optical is mā ngā wha...
Kahungunu lays down reo wero

Kahungunu lays down reo wero

27 Sep 2022
"It’s now up to tribes to design their own schools of excellence and Kahungunu has done that with our own rangatahi academy called Te Pōkai Tara which is a bunch of youngsters who are already proficient in the language and we take them to another level of excellence and we als...
Police front counter reopens

Police front counter reopens

27 Sep 2022
Māori responsiveness manager Inspector Cliff Brown said the geometric design on the windows, floors and walls represents maunga across the district - Taranaki, Central Plateau and Tararua and Ruahine ranges. As well as Manawatū staff, staff from across the Central District oft...
Mana whenua and Wellington council launch reo Māori App

Mana whenua and Wellington council launch reo Māori App

27 Sep 2022
The App called ‘Mahau’ was created by Taranaki Whānui, Ngāti Toa and Wellington City Council and helps with kupu, and pronunciation around landmarks and locations in the capital.
‘The Project NZ’ announce they're doing a whole show in te reo Māori

‘The Project NZ’ announce they're doing a whole show in te reo Māori

26 Sep 2022
To celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, ‘The Project’ will be doing a whole broadcast in te reo Māori, host Kara Rickard announced on a Facebook post this morning.
Ngā Tamatoa urge Māori to tackle councils

Ngā Tamatoa urge Māori to tackle councils

19 Sep 2022
Members of Ngā Tamatoa have urged Māori to get active in local government to tackle racism and get land back.
'I wanted to know my language': Kiwi Fern Katelyn Vaha'akolo's te reo journey

'I wanted to know my language': Kiwi Fern Katelyn Vaha'akolo's te reo journey

18 Sep 2022
Te Ao Toa spoke to Katelyn Vaha'akolo (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto and Tongan) - who didn't grow up speaking Māori - about her te reo Māori journey.
Māwai Hākona kapa haka group reflect on te reo Māori journey

Māwai Hākona kapa haka group reflect on te reo Māori journey

18 Sep 2022
Māwai Hākona won the second year of the Polynesian Festival in Rotorua in 1973.
Opinion: My te reo Māori journey - Samantha Hayes

Opinion: My te reo Māori journey - Samantha Hayes

17 Sep 2022
For broadcasters and anyone speaking publicly, it is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have, she writes.
Giving kapa haka a go is great way to learn te reo Māori

Giving kapa haka a go is great way to learn te reo Māori

17 Sep 2022
Research shows it can be a vital learning tool for Māori language revitalisation.
Darth Ngāpuhi the 'Dark Lord' championing te reo Māori to TikTok sci-fi nerds

Darth Ngāpuhi the 'Dark Lord' championing te reo Māori to TikTok sci-fi nerds

17 Sep 2022
Science-fiction nerds have a bronzed 'Dark Lord' championing te reo Māori online, Darth Ngāpuhi aka Green MP Teanau Tuiono (Te Uriroroi, Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Takoto).
Use of te reo Māori in New Zealand media continues to grow

Use of te reo Māori in New Zealand media continues to grow

16 Sep 2022
Stuff saw the biggest increase since 2018 while RNZ's usage declined by 9%.
With or without you, we will sail in both worlds: 50 years on from Māori Language petition

With or without you, we will sail in both worlds: 50 years on from Māori Language petition

14 Sep 2022
It has been a day of celebration and reflection for those who delivered the Māori Language petition exactly 50 years ago.
Remembering the Māori Language Petition and the revival of te reo Māori

Remembering the Māori Language Petition and the revival of te reo Māori

13 Sep 2022
This week marks 50 years since the Māori Language Petition was presented to Parliament. Jamie Tahana spoke to those who fought for change, and examines the moments leading to the movement, and what has happened since.
As Māori language use grows in New Zealand, the challenge is to match deeds to words

As Māori language use grows in New Zealand, the challenge is to match deeds to words

13 Sep 2022
While the sight and sound of te reo Māori is becoming common in Aotearoa, advocates say the journey to a bilingual society is only beginning
How starting to learn te reo Māori taught me about myself

How starting to learn te reo Māori taught me about myself

11 Sep 2022
OPINION: Growing up with blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin covered in SPF50 made me feel far away from my Māori heritage. Te reo is helping bridge the gap.
Pere Wihongi champions holistic benefits of learning te reo Māori

Pere Wihongi champions holistic benefits of learning te reo Māori

08 Sep 2022
Composer, musical director and presenter Pere Wihongi stands by the holistic benefits of learning te reo Māori for whānau hungry to learn.
Reo Māori fitness keeping Te Wanihi Edwards busier than ever

Reo Māori fitness keeping Te Wanihi Edwards busier than ever

08 Sep 2022
Yvonne Te Wanihi Edwards, the presenter of the Whakaata Māori programme, Oranga Ngākau is in demand as a Māori language fitness instructor.
Maioha reo Māori songwriting finalists named for 2022

Maioha reo Māori songwriting finalists named for 2022

08 Sep 2022
The remaining finalists for this year's Apra songwriting awards have been revealed, including the Maioha Award, which recognises contemporary Māori music and songwriters who shape their craft in te reo Māori.
Tamariki fave book gets te reo Māori translation

Tamariki fave book gets te reo Māori translation

06 Sep 2022
The bestselling children's book I Need a New Bum was first published 10 years ago. To mark the 10th anniversary of the book, Stephanie Huriana Fong has translated the book into te reo Māori (Kia Hou Taku Tou).
Wharekura join forces to take te reo Māori to the National league field

Wharekura join forces to take te reo Māori to the National league field

30 Aug 2022
One of the most significant events in the rugby league calendar returned after a three-year Covid hiatus this week – the National Secondary Schools...
Davidson's bittersweet rebellion over te reo Māori

Davidson's bittersweet rebellion over te reo Māori

30 Aug 2022
Backing te reo Māori on a chocolate bar has resulted in some backlash for Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson - and prompted a reminder for other ministers about the rules.
Why 'I will not speak Māori' is emblazoned across Wellington's waterfront

Why 'I will not speak Māori' is emblazoned across Wellington's waterfront

25 Aug 2022
The art work, installed by Tame Iti, uses the same words he was forced to write over and over again by his school teachers while growing up.
Irish Embassy commissions play about  colonisation in te reo

Irish Embassy commissions play about colonisation in te reo

23 Aug 2022
Translations, a play by Irish playwright Brian Friel, has been translated into te reo by author, translator and te reo exponent Hēmi Kelly.
Chocolate lovers' sweet revenge on haters of 'woke' Whittaker's

Chocolate lovers' sweet revenge on haters of 'woke' Whittaker's

18 Aug 2022
Te reo chocolate wrapper prompts bitter outrage - and a sweet wave of response.
Marae working to increase use of Te Reo Māori sign language

Marae working to increase use of Te Reo Māori sign language

12 Aug 2022
Twenty marae across Northland want to grow the number of whānau who can speak te reo Māori in sign language. An eight week course, He Aha, is about to get underway to help whānau improve communication with tangata turi.  
Swimming classes in te reo offered in Pukekohe

Swimming classes in te reo offered in Pukekohe

11 Aug 2022
Te reo Māori swimming lessons for toddlers and young children now offered in Pukekohe. The hope is that not just Māori but the wider community in Franklin will embrace te reo.
Māori language petition honoured with te reo waiata collaboration

Māori language petition honoured with te reo waiata collaboration

09 Aug 2022
Waiata Anthems 2022 will be released next month and will mark 50 years since the signing of the Māori language petition.
Celebrating 35 years of te reo Māori as an official language, but still a risk

Celebrating 35 years of te reo Māori as an official language, but still a risk

02 Aug 2022
On the 35th anniversary of te reo Māori becoming an official language, the Māori Language Commission is warning more work is needed to ensure its survival.
Prof Rawinia Higgins | Chair of the Maori Language Commission

Prof Rawinia Higgins | Chair of the Maori Language Commission

01 Aug 2022
Chair of the Māori Language Commission, Rawinia Higgins, speaks about the 35th birthday of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.
Directors get support with te ao Māori journey

Directors get support with te ao Māori journey

30 Jul 2022
Directors now have a Māori-designed mobile app to support them on their journey with te ao Māori. The Institute of Directors in New Zealand (IoD) launched the app named Hautū on Friday.
1News weekend weather presenter promoting te reo Māori

1News weekend weather presenter promoting te reo Māori

20 Jul 2022
One News' new weekend weather presenter Te Rauhiringa Brown says she is doing it to share her love of te reo Māori.
Rongo app eases the whakamā for beginners learning te reo Māori

Rongo app eases the whakamā for beginners learning te reo Māori

20 Jul 2022
Tai Tokerau's Te Hiku Media has launched an app called ‘Rongo’ to support te reo learners with their pronunciation.
‘Dial a Māori’ and other mistakes Pākehā make

‘Dial a Māori’ and other mistakes Pākehā make

17 Jul 2022
We should all be able to say people’s names correctly. We should all be able to say place names correctly. Even if we only do this, we’re effectively saying: “I see you, I value you, I’m listening to you, and I will follow your lead.”
Māori language teacher with super abilities

Māori language teacher with super abilities

14 Jul 2022
Tūraukawa Bartlett runs online tutorials as part of the te reo Māori strategy of Ngāti Whātua. "I am autistic, I have Asperger's. But my particular condition doesn't reflect the prognosis."
Learning te reo Māori could be key in improving wellbeing for Māori

Learning te reo Māori could be key in improving wellbeing for Māori

05 Jul 2022
The rise in te reo Māori could be key to helping improve Māori wellbeing - among its benefits are helping give a sense of belonging.
Student wins  Race Unity Speech Awards prize for speech in Māori

Student wins Race Unity Speech Awards prize for speech in Māori

30 Jun 2022
A student from Te Tai Rāwhiti has won a prize at the national Race Unity Speech Awards for 2022  with a speech entirely in te reo Māori....
Language Matters: Crossing the monolingual divide in mainstream broadcasting

Language Matters: Crossing the monolingual divide in mainstream broadcasting

27 Jun 2022
OPINION: People don't need to know a language well to understand the overall meaning when it is used with other languages.
Hemi Kelly's journey to helping others on their reo Māori journey

Hemi Kelly's journey to helping others on their reo Māori journey

23 Jun 2022
“I didn’t grow up speaking te reo Māori. Mum had a little bit of knowledge but enough to give us the language when we were kids. So I know what it’s like to go out and be hungry for it, go through those years and years of courses learning it.”
He maimai aroha: Anaru Robb

He maimai aroha: Anaru Robb

22 May 2022
“Anaru’s ability to speak Māori committed him throughout his adult life to holding the government to task about its obligations to te reo Māori and Māori rights.” — Wena Harawira.
Can they cope with 'more than the odd kia ora'?

Can they cope with 'more than the odd kia ora'?

22 May 2022
“Being exposed to te reo in our everyday environments, including on our news channels, benefits both speakers and non-speakers of the language.” — Awanui Te Huia.
Māoriland Film Festival to launch with Matariki

Māoriland Film Festival to launch with Matariki

18 May 2022
The world's largest indigenous film festival is back for the ninth year, and it will happen at a very special time for Aotearoa.
Pā Reo Māori to go live on Minecraft

Pā Reo Māori to go live on Minecraft

17 May 2022
A te reo Māori teacher from Northland is building a pā on the highly popular gaming platform Minecraft.
Theia releases new album Te Kaahu

Theia releases new album Te Kaahu

09 May 2022
Em Walker, known as Theia, is today releasing her new te reo Māori album, Te Kaahu.
Revealed: Four te reo Māori names proposed for City Rail Link stations

Revealed: Four te reo Māori names proposed for City Rail Link stations

09 May 2022
The proposed names acknowledged the history of the land and areas in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland that the stations would occupy. The proposed names are Maungawhau (Mt Eden), Karanga a Hape (Karangahape), Te Wai Horotiu (Aotea) and Waitematā (Britomart).
Wellington City Council commits to stronger focus on te reo and Māori history

Wellington City Council commits to stronger focus on te reo and Māori history

05 May 2022
More Māori street names and considering how transport projects can help improve access to services are among the initiatives in a plan just ratified.
Language app designed to spread the word

Language app designed to spread the word

28 Apr 2022

A te reo Māori app developed for Ashburton District Council staff is to be shared with the community, so others can learn more about local Māori language and protocols. The app also covers Tagalog (the primary language of the Philippines) and Samoan.

About all the Māori nonsense - a response from Māori Language Commissioner

About all the Māori nonsense - a response from Māori Language Commissioner

28 Apr 2022
"Te reo Māori is endangered in the land it comes from. It is a language that is native to this country and like an endangered bird, its future depends on what we do. "
Majority of NowNext survey respondents believe Māori culture and history is an important part of our national identity

Majority of NowNext survey respondents believe Māori culture and history is an important part of our national identity

27 Apr 2022
Despite positive response towards Māori culture and history in Stuff's NowNext Pou Tiaki survey, Māori continue to experience racism and the negative impacts of colonisation.
The ongoing fight for Māori to school our own, our way

The ongoing fight for Māori to school our own, our way

21 Apr 2022
'They’ve constantly tried to fit us into a system that won’t ever be sophisticated or reflective enough to love and grow our tamariki.'
New bilingual traffic signs for schools to replace English-only

New bilingual traffic signs for schools to replace English-only

20 Apr 2022
It comes after a recent change to a land transport rule which came into force this month, and will see school in both te reo Māori and English featured on the signs.
Coming soon: te reo Māori courses for the public sector

Coming soon: te reo Māori courses for the public sector

14 Apr 2022
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori is launching pilot te reo Māori courses for the public sector.
Finding my real voice

Finding my real voice

10 Apr 2022
“I’d finally joined an environment where I didn’t have to use my Pākehā voice for the first time in my life.” — Siena Yates.
Canadian director's passion for indigenous languages, including te reo Māori

Canadian director's passion for indigenous languages, including te reo Māori

06 Apr 2022
“Now you have non-Māori people from different backgrounds teach in Māori. This is an accomplishment. This is what we would like to see in Canada. We would like to see non-indigenous teaching indigenous languages, and I believe it's going to happen.”
Esteemed Māori leader Dr Moana Jackson passes away

Esteemed Māori leader Dr Moana Jackson passes away

30 Mar 2022

His work on Māori and Indigenous rights has been an inspiration to many, using his knowledge and experience to help Māori and Pākehā understand the impacts of colonisation in Aotearoa.

Inaugural writers festival to highlight Māori literature

Inaugural writers festival to highlight Māori literature

29 Mar 2022
The Kupu Māori Writers Festival is set to launch in June
Māori Television Celebrates 18 Years Of Telling Māori Stories | Scoop News

Māori Television Celebrates 18 Years Of Telling Māori Stories | Scoop News

29 Mar 2022

Māori Television reflect on how they have entertained and inspired audiences through the telling of Māori stories.

Māori Television at 18: Seeing Māori in the media opened up the pearly gates

Māori Television at 18: Seeing Māori in the media opened up the pearly gates

28 Mar 2022
Māori Television turns 18 today, and I owe much of who I am to it.
Teen incorporating Māori culture into Shakespeare excited for Globe performance

Teen incorporating Māori culture into Shakespeare excited for Globe performance

26 Mar 2022
Māhanga Mitchell blends his Māori upbringing with Shakespeare, and is now taking his fresh take on the Bard to the Globe Theatre in London.
Troy Kingi confirms Matariki release for reo Māori album

Troy Kingi confirms Matariki release for reo Māori album

25 Mar 2022
The announcement comes after the artist was named as the 2021 APRA Silver Scroll Award/Kaitito Kaiaka winner on Thursday night.
The business founder, activist and writer pausing her award-winning career to learn te reo Māori fulltime

The business founder, activist and writer pausing her award-winning career to learn te reo Māori fulltime

23 Mar 2022
Qiane Matata-Sipu isn’t someone who does things by halves. Here's why she's hitting the pause button on her award-winning career to learn te reo Mā�ori fulltime.
The Māori Language Commission paid tribute to the late leader, Tā Wira Gardiner

The Māori Language Commission paid tribute to the late leader, Tā Wira Gardiner

18 Mar 2022
Tā Wira was exceptional because he led from the front in all he did. Te reo Māori was no exception.
Whakapapa – there’s an app for that

Whakapapa – there’s an app for that

28 Feb 2022
A Māori living in Australia has developed an app to help people document their whakapapa.
Te Māngai Pāho and Octave announce new partnership for ReoAko.

Te Māngai Pāho and Octave announce new partnership for ReoAko.

21 Feb 2022
ReoAko is a translation tool that enables website managers to easily add te reo Māori to their websites.
A chat with... Te Karere's Derek Fox

A chat with... Te Karere's Derek Fox

19 Feb 2022
In February 1982, journalist Derek Fox was instrumental in getting Te Karere going - but it's not always been an easy battle with TV bosses.
Ōtaki Surf Live Saving Club bilingual website easier to surf

Ōtaki Surf Live Saving Club bilingual website easier to surf

11 Feb 2022
The club has taken the opportunity to be more representative of its community
From outrage to No 1 hits: how Māori musicians conquered the charts in their own language

From outrage to No 1 hits: how Māori musicians conquered the charts in their own language

10 Feb 2022
Once, singing in te reo Māori could trigger a backlash – now New Zealand’s indigenous language is at the heart of its music scene
Te Karere, New Zealand's first Māori language television show, is turning   40

Te Karere, New Zealand's first Māori language television show, is turning 40

10 Feb 2022
“This is the value of what Te Karere has been. It’s helped to normalise te reo Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand,” says presenter Scotty Morrison.
Kura kaupapa founders go to Waitangi Tribunal in push for Māori Education Authority

Kura kaupapa founders go to Waitangi Tribunal in push for Māori Education Authority

08 Feb 2022
The group says the Crown has failed to honour the principles of Māori kura and sabotaged decades of efforts to improve them.
Artist brings colour and te reo Māori to urban Nelson

Artist brings colour and te reo Māori to urban Nelson

07 Feb 2022
Nerys Ngaruhe's goal is to bring te reo and toi Māori to Nelson's urban landscape.
Race relations commissioner calls for compulsory te reo Māori in schools

Race relations commissioner calls for compulsory te reo Māori in schools

06 Feb 2022
On Waitangi Day, Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon urges the Government to meet its Treaty obligation to protect the Māori language.
Learn te reo Māori on-the-go with Mai i te Kākano

Learn te reo Māori on-the-go with Mai i te Kākano

27 Jan 2022
The audiobook is perfect for learning on-the-go as you go about your day. It makes learning a bit easier for those who have full time jobs, tamariki to care for, or have no time for formal study.
'Kōhanga kids are changing Māoridom' - Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi

'Kōhanga kids are changing Māoridom' - Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi

25 Jan 2022
“Look where the language is. It's all over the place. Anything that wriggles is actually interested in the language. It's everywhere. I source it back to those mokopuna that sat at the feet of those expert, linguistic elders...”
‘We were called the Nazis of te reo Māori' -  Sir Pou Temara pays a price for excellence

‘We were called the Nazis of te reo Māori' -  Sir Pou Temara pays a price for excellence

20 Jan 2022
For more than 40 years Sir Pou Temara has worked to nurture te reo Māori and, even though his quest attracted harsh criticism, he has no apologies for striving for excellence.
New RNZ National show to focus on Māori talent and stories

New RNZ National show to focus on Māori talent and stories

19 Jan 2022
Acclaimed broadcaster Julian Wilcox (Ngāpuhi, Te Arawa) is to host a new RNZ National programme featuring the talents and stories of Māori from across Aotearoa.
Rob Ruha: The man who helped Tairāwhiti take over TikTok

Rob Ruha: The man who helped Tairāwhiti take over TikTok

16 Jan 2022
It’s hard to ignore the joyous nature of Rob Ruha’s hit song, 35. But the musician says the global sensation is less about record sales, and more about the rangatahi.
Panga: Te reo Māori Wordle

Panga: Te reo Māori Wordle

10 Jan 2022
A simple five-letter word game called Wordle - which is taking the world by storm - now has a reo Māori version.
Wētā Workshop adds macrons to undo misuse of te reo Māori

Wētā Workshop adds macrons to undo misuse of te reo Māori

16 Nov 2021
For years the special effects company was mistakenly named after excrement, not an insect.
Creators on TikTok elevating Māori culture and language

Creators on TikTok elevating Māori culture and language

09 Nov 2021
A growing community of te reo Māori educators are using social media platforms to teach people New Zealand’s indigenous language, which was at risk of total extinction for decades.
New course in Te Tairāwhiti to help implement te reo Maori into the cirruculum.

New course in Te Tairāwhiti to help implement te reo Maori into the cirruculum.

06 Nov 2021
Programme tutor Sue Ngarimu will lead the six-month Te Ahu o te Reo Māori course with the help of three of the region’s kaumatua as kaiawhina.
Shilo Kino: Learning Te reo Māori in the middle of a pandemic

Shilo Kino: Learning Te reo Māori in the middle of a pandemic

02 Nov 2021
Shilo Kino on the struggles of learning in a year-long te reo Māori immersion course when the world is suspended high and dry
Santa Speaks Te Reo: Write To Santa With NZ Post And Receive A Response In Te Reo – Ka Pai! | Scoop News

Santa Speaks Te Reo: Write To Santa With NZ Post And Receive A Response In Te Reo – Ka Pai! | Scoop News

01 Nov 2021
In the past year, we have seen a huge response to Te Wiki o Te Reo Māoriand including more Reo in our everyday lives. NZ Post and Santa understand the importance and NZ Post is proud to be for the third year, offering the magical connection of ...
The pou tokomanawa in the whare: Bringing te reo to life in the places we live

The pou tokomanawa in the whare: Bringing te reo to life in the places we live

28 Oct 2021
Reclaiming te reo Māori is always hard, but the hardest work – and the most important – takes place within the home.
Author Keri Opai writes book for Māori disenfranchised from te reo

Author Keri Opai writes book for Māori disenfranchised from te reo

21 Oct 2021
Tikanga: An introduction to Te Ao Māori, is a new book to help beginners understand the Māori world.
First road traffic signs in Te Reo Māori – Taihoa, Haere - NZ Herald

First road traffic signs in Te Reo Māori – Taihoa, Haere - NZ Herald

19 Oct 2021
Vehicle drivers in the Bay of Plenty witnessed the first use of :"Taihoa" (Wait) and "Haere" (Go) signs used by traffic managers yesterday.
Magician wows audiences all in te reo Māori - NZ Herald

Magician wows audiences all in te reo Māori - NZ Herald

12 Oct 2021
Api Wairau-Mason is self taught and been collaborating with well-known local magicians.
Two generations discuss their journeys with te reo Māori

Two generations discuss their journeys with te reo Māori

23 Sep 2021
“I've had many conversations where it is like, ‘Oh that's so cool that you're learning te reo Māori, it's such a good hobby to have’. It’s like, no, I’m not learning how to knit, I’m not learning how to dance. I’m learning my voice.”
Demand jumps for job applicants who can speak te reo Māori

Demand jumps for job applicants who can speak te reo Māori

20 Sep 2021
Te reo Māori is not only culturally important, it's also growing in economic value, says a data researcher.
Learning te Reo is a personal journey

Learning te Reo is a personal journey

20 Sep 2021
“Te Wiki o te Reo Māori helps people to know that there is nothing scary about this language, and it’s a language that is ours – that belongs to Aotearoa,” Mike Kawana said.
Couple met learning te reo Māori, now its their son's first language

Couple met learning te reo Māori, now its their son's first language

19 Sep 2021
Casey and Nathan met in a te reo class at work. Now, it's the only language they speak to their toddler son.
Samoan multilinguist shares inspiring story of learning te reo Māori

Samoan multilinguist shares inspiring story of learning te reo Māori

18 Sep 2021
Tuiloma Lina-Jodi Samu is a Samoan multilinguist with eight different languages under her belt. One of those languages is Aotearoa’s very own te reo Māori.
Te reo Māori and Welsh: Two indigenous languages, two stories of revival

Te reo Māori and Welsh: Two indigenous languages, two stories of revival

17 Sep 2021
Beaten for speaking the language; shame around speaking it; suppressed and ridiculed by the British. Sound familiar?
HRC to stop hearing individual complaints on use of te reo Māori

HRC to stop hearing individual complaints on use of te reo Māori

17 Sep 2021
The Human Rights Commission will no longer consider individual complaints over the use of te reo Māori or the term Pākehā.
Māori Party launches petition to change official name of New Zealand to Aotearoa - NZ Herald

Māori Party launches petition to change official name of New Zealand to Aotearoa - NZ Herald

16 Sep 2021
The petition also aims to use te reo Māori names for all towns, cities and places by 2026.
‘Nau mai te rekareka’: We’ve got some sexy reo Māori for you

‘Nau mai te rekareka’: We’ve got some sexy reo Māori for you

16 Sep 2021
It’s important we get to use te reo in all the ways it can be, including the sexy ways!
‘35’ by Ka Hao feat Rob Ruha is the TikTok anthem of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

‘35’ by Ka Hao feat Rob Ruha is the TikTok anthem of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

16 Sep 2021
We spoke to two rangatahi behind NZ's #1 hot single.
Kea Kids News: New video game features wahine Māori

Kea Kids News: New video game features wahine Māori

15 Sep 2021
The game developer hopes Guardian Maia wil inspire more indigenous video gamers.
Graphic designer a 'one wahine waka' taking te reo Māori into homes

Graphic designer a 'one wahine waka' taking te reo Māori into homes

15 Sep 2021
Aroha Tamihana never learnt te reo as a child growing up in Tajikistan, but she's making up for it with a vengeance.
More than a million said to take part in reo Māori moment

More than a million said to take part in reo Māori moment

14 Sep 2021
There was waiata, animation, stories, korero, team quizzes and fitness routines to Poi E.
How famous New Zealand landmarks got their Māori place names

How famous New Zealand landmarks got their Māori place names

14 Sep 2021
What's in a name? When it comes to our place names, expect rip-roaring yarns taking in everything from early explorers to star-crossed lovers.
TikTok, Twitch new ‘vehicles’ for Māori creators to kōrero, ako te reo Māori

TikTok, Twitch new ‘vehicles’ for Māori creators to kōrero, ako te reo Māori

14 Sep 2021
Thanks to Sonny Ngatai​, more than 175,000 TikTok users know how to correctly pronounce Paraparaumu. A further 97,000 know different ways to sign off their emails in te reo Māori.
‘You’re not going to get a job in te reo Māori’: 3 people who proved this wrong

‘You’re not going to get a job in te reo Māori’: 3 people who proved this wrong

14 Sep 2021

Today we are seeing the fruits of those sacrifices our tīpuna have made in order to save the language. Featuring Te Aorere Pewhairangi, Te Rauhiringa Brown and Hēmi Kelly.

More than 'mā te wā': How Air New Zealand is helping te reo Māori fly

More than 'mā te wā': How Air New Zealand is helping te reo Māori fly

13 Sep 2021
Araraurangi (Air NZ) have released a new app 'Kia Rere' for staff and passengers to practise and improve their reo. The app has a section where users can fill in the details of their journey and learn the sentences in te reo Māori needed to talk about their trip.
Affirmations for when you need a reminder of your connection to te reo Māori

Affirmations for when you need a reminder of your connection to te reo Māori

13 Sep 2021
These words have been written as something for you to say to yourself so that you remember your connection to this reo.
A short history of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

A short history of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

13 Sep 2021
Kua tae ki te wā e te whānau! Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, when te reo is proudly marched down the street, when staffrooms around the country are suddenly covered in post-it note reo and when all the Karens and Dons prepare for the apocalypse.
A te reo Māori glossary for your home

A te reo Māori glossary for your home

13 Sep 2021
I'm busting out the sticky notes to remember these kupu around my whare - how about you?
Learning te reo Māori 'like going home', says fashion designer Kiri Nathan

Learning te reo Māori 'like going home', says fashion designer Kiri Nathan

12 Sep 2021
Finding a year to study full-time was never going to be easy, but Kiri Nathan​ realised being unable to speak her language had become too painful.
'I'm beginning a journey': The inside story of Lorde's surprise mini-album in te reo Māori

'I'm beginning a journey': The inside story of Lorde's surprise mini-album in te reo Māori

09 Sep 2021
Ahead of Te Wiki o Te Reo, Lorde today releases Te Ao Mārama, five songs from Solar Power re-recorded in te reo Māori, the Indigenous language of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Te reo Māori game gets native trees in the ground this lockdown

Te reo Māori game gets native trees in the ground this lockdown

08 Sep 2021
"We’ve partnered with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori to release a reo Māori version of our popular “Tree Snap” game, Taukapu Rākau," A card game designed to help anyone spot native rākau in the wild so that people can to get to know our taiao in a fun, friendly way.
Popularity of te reo Māori challenge surprises organisers

Popularity of te reo Māori challenge surprises organisers

10 Sep 2021

"I looked at some of the other months, you know, you've got Dry July, No Junk June or whatever they are and then you've got Movember, and I thought: I'm gonna do one for te reo." Since then, Mahuru Māori has grown into something of a movement.

Six60, Stan Walker, Anna Coddington and many others release new music in te reo

Six60, Stan Walker, Anna Coddington and many others release new music in te reo

04 Sep 2021
Artists including Stan Walker, Che Fu and Six60 have re-released their hits in te reo Māori for another series of Waiata Anthems.
Waiata Anthems: Anna Coddington's mission to normalise te reo Māori for her tamariki - NZ Herald

Waiata Anthems: Anna Coddington's mission to normalise te reo Māori for her tamariki - NZ Herald

10 Sep 2021

Anna Coddington has always been on a reo but said her children were the real 'catalyst'. The singer-songwriter is one of many New Zealand artists who have released a new single in te reo Māori for Waiata Anthems Week called Aho / Beams ft. Louis Baker...

Learning new poi each day in lockdown

Learning new poi each day in lockdown

27 Aug 2021
Ihaka Whanarere Tauri was only a baby when he picked up the poi and has never let it go ever since. Now at 11 years old, he has set up a personal challenge on social media, attracting over 30,000 viewers in three days.  
Kiwis using lockdown to learn 'easy to access' Te Reo Māori

Kiwis using lockdown to learn 'easy to access' Te Reo Māori

27 Aug 2021
Learning te reo in lockdown has been made easier for many, thanks to the efforts of those like Hēmi Kelly, who during the first lockdown started a community group on Facebook . 'A Māori phrase a Day' now has 92,000 people in its waka
Te Nūtube Releases New Hit Reo Māori Single “Paki Mati” In Lockdown! | Scoop News

Te Nūtube Releases New Hit Reo Māori Single “Paki Mati” In Lockdown! | Scoop News

23 Aug 2021
Atareta Milne (11) and Te Haakura Ihimaera-Manley (9) from Te Nūtube are back to entertain tamariki and whānau across Aotearoa, and bring light to our lockdown living. Their new hit waiata (song) “Paki Mati” releases across all major music streaming ...
South Taranaki students help with reo Māori video to recruit Māori into trades

South Taranaki students help with reo Māori video to recruit Māori into trades

23 Aug 2021
A new video entirely in te reo Māori features students from South Taranaki. The campaign aims to show young Māori where a career in trades could take them. The digital campaign coincides with Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) and will run throughout September.
Learning the features of verbs in te reo

Learning the features of verbs in te reo

21 Aug 2021
In te reo there are two main classes of verb: verbs of “doing” (action verbs) and verbs of “being” (stative verbs). - Learn with David Karena-Holmes
The wāhine Māori bringing te reo Māori to audiences through Korean pop music

The wāhine Māori bringing te reo Māori to audiences through Korean pop music

14 Aug 2021
Taylor-Rose Terekia performs Korean pop song covers, but with a twist — she translates them into te reo Māori.
A kaiako on the year's best te reo Māori books for children

A kaiako on the year's best te reo Māori books for children

11 Aug 2021
Pati Hakaria shares her own te reo story, and talks about some of the picture books shortlisted for the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for te reo Māori. 
Ngā Tohu o Matariki o te Tau: Māori excellence celebrated at this year's Matariki awards - NZ Herald

Ngā Tohu o Matariki o te Tau: Māori excellence celebrated at this year's Matariki awards - NZ Herald

02 Aug 2021
Stacey Morrison has been recognised for her contribution to the revitalisation of te reo Māori and tikanga. Although she did not speak te reo Māori until adulthood, the mother of three achieved her goal of becoming fluent by the time her children were born.
Teachers say learning te reo is making them better at their jobs

Teachers say learning te reo is making them better at their jobs

01 Aug 2021
Principal Nicola Ngarewa said the simple act of pronouncing children's Māori names correctly made those children feel valued.
'It’s everything': 11 wāhine tell us about their relationship to te reo Māori

'It’s everything': 11 wāhine tell us about their relationship to te reo Māori

29 Jul 2021
For Māori, our relationship with reo and culture isn’t straightforward. We’ve had to fight for our language and customs - a journey which looks different for everyone. 
School Report: Kura kaupapa drive top te reo Māori marks up

School Report: Kura kaupapa drive top te reo Māori marks up

26 Jul 2021
Students are leaving school with levels of Māori language proficiency not seen in decades, experts say.
Newshub's Oriini Kaipara on te reo, TV and racism in New Zealand

Newshub's Oriini Kaipara on te reo, TV and racism in New Zealand

25 Jul 2021
Kaipara is a television anchor and mother of four, and she’s only 37. You know her because in 2019 she made headlines for becoming the first woman with a moko kauae, a traditional chin tattoo, to present a mainstream news show when she filled in on TVNZ’s noon bulletin.
Frozen, The Lion King to be dubbed in te reo Māori

Frozen, The Lion King to be dubbed in te reo Māori

23 Jul 2021
Production is underway to create te reo Māori versions of Disney classics, Frozen and The Lion King.
A Māori Siri: Voice apps that recognise te reo Māori a possible future

A Māori Siri: Voice apps that recognise te reo Māori a possible future

02 Jul 2021
Human: “Hey Siri, can you take me to Kaitaia?” Siri: “Which car tire?”
Masters study for te reo to launch in July, following national demand - NZ Herald

Masters study for te reo to launch in July, following national demand - NZ Herald

29 Jun 2021

"The programme is about providing Māori language excellence for highly competent Māori language tauira." says kaiako, Pania Papa. The course is said to be very similar to Te Panekiretanga o te Reo, a top Māori language academy which closed its doors two years ago.

Album of songs will celebrate 50 years of Te Matatini

Album of songs will celebrate 50 years of Te Matatini

28 Jun 2021
Songs that epitomise 50 years of Te Matatini will be recorded in an album marking the 50th anniversary of the national kapa haka competition in 2022. “You will hear a vibrant and new sound that will help elevate the Māori language”
Veteran Māori broadcaster stunned by pilot's perfect announcements in te reo

Veteran Māori broadcaster stunned by pilot's perfect announcements in te reo

24 Jun 2021
A pilot's perfect use of te reo impressed a passenger so much that he asked to meet him and was blown away to discover the pilot wasn't Māori, but simply endeavouring to learn and use te reo as much as possible.
Pop-up cafe helps students gain barista and te reo Māori skills

Pop-up cafe helps students gain barista and te reo Māori skills

24 Jun 2021
People can get a discount off their kawhe by using te reo Māori at Awatapu College's pop-up cafe. This is to encourage the normalisation of the language.
Trade training in Te Reo Māori launched in Waikato

Trade training in Te Reo Māori launched in Waikato

23 Jun 2021
Ngā Taiātea has teamed up with BCITO to provide the first NCEA level 3 building, construction and allied trades skills units in Te Reo Māori. Up until now, only English versions have been available.
Pop chart launches for te reo Māori songs

Pop chart launches for te reo Māori songs

20 Jun 2021
A weekly chart for the most popular songs in te reo Māori is being launched today. The official chart will compile the top 10 songs in te reo Māori by sales, streams and airplay.
Artist calls out racism after te reo Māori sticker gets graffiti complaint

Artist calls out racism after te reo Māori sticker gets graffiti complaint

16 Jun 2021
Hohepa Thompson is trying to encourage the everyday use of te reo Māori, so he put a label reading rāpihi (rubbish) on the council bin outside his store, but the sticker kept disappearing and then the bin disappeared too...
How learning te reo Māori helped me heal my mental health

How learning te reo Māori helped me heal my mental health

15 Jun 2021
Like many of our rangatahi, Katelyn Vaha’akolo struggled with her mental health as a teen, but over time she’s found the things that keep her wairua tau and changed her perspective on life - now she wants to encourage others to speak up and find what helps them.
Christchurch teen elevating te reo Māori usage - one floor at a time

Christchurch teen elevating te reo Māori usage - one floor at a time

15 Jun 2021
Rangimarie Te’evale-Hunt, 15, fought for two years to have te reo Māori spoken in her school's lifts. After the involvement of Fair Go, lift company Schindler Lifts agreed to changing the elevator voice to a bi-cultural one.
Mind your language: the backlash against the te reo revival

Mind your language: the backlash against the te reo revival

11 Jun 2021
Why is a minority still threatened by the use of the Māori language?
The Backstory: Why Stuff’s homepage greets you with 'Kia ora, Aotearoa!' not 'Hello, New Zealand!'

The Backstory: Why Stuff’s homepage greets you with 'Kia ora, Aotearoa!' not 'Hello, New Zealand!'

10 Jun 2021
Here’s the beautiful thing about inclusive language: it doesn’t exclude you.
Gentle, respectful, humble: how non-Māori can help revitalise te reo

Gentle, respectful, humble: how non-Māori can help revitalise te reo

16 Apr 2021
“The way that Pākehā engage with te reo is going to be different to a Māori person who has grown up without their ancestral language, seen it battered – literally, beaten out of their whānau..."
Former Katchafire member Hāni Dread releases new waiata saluting te reo revolutionaires

Former Katchafire member Hāni Dread releases new waiata saluting te reo revolutionaires

31 May 2021
Former Katchafire member Hāni Totorewa says his new waiata Kōkiri “is for those who fought for the maori language to be recognised”.
Robert Rakete brought to tears by te reo translation of The Breeze radio jingle

Robert Rakete brought to tears by te reo translation of The Breeze radio jingle

20 May 2021
“I’m so proud that we are doing this — not just because we want to do the right thing — we’re just doing it because we should,” The Breeze host said.
Justice Joe Williams: Let's try and get it right

Justice Joe Williams: Let's try and get it right

16 May 2021
“Both sides are saying: ‘We want to do it a different way.’ It's just no longer right to say evil nasty Crown, good angel iwi. It's not like that at all.” — Supreme Court judge Sir Joe Williams.
'It was very spiritual': Musicians share stories of song and te reo while recording Waiata/Anthems

'It was very spiritual': Musicians share stories of song and te reo while recording Waiata/Anthems

02 May 2021
"I walked into the studio, met Don, sung it a few times and then left. Little did we know what it would go on to become."
This doesn’t make us less

This doesn’t make us less

02 May 2021
“Some of my generation may never receive the precious gift of time and energy to learn te reo Māori. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t cut deeper each day.” Shelley Burne-Field on the pain of being 'reo-less'.
Māori Language Moment recognised in global awards

Māori Language Moment recognised in global awards

29 Apr 2021
Māori Language Moment named a finalist in the globally recognised Reed Awards.
Language, and more: The challenges for kura Māori students arriving at university

Language, and more: The challenges for kura Māori students arriving at university

23 Apr 2021
Raiha Cook grew up attending kura Māori, but when she decided to study at the University of Otago she found the move from te ao Māori to European-style learning difficult. Now she's researching that transition to help make it easier for students to feel safe at mainstream univ...
How non-Māori students play a part in te reo revitalisation

How non-Māori students play a part in te reo revitalisation

23 Feb 2021
A research first has highlighted the important role of non-Māori learning te reo for the revitalisation of the language. Charlotte Muru-Lanning spoke to Dr Will Flavell about where the language is going.  Before he started learning te reo Māori, Dr Will Flavell (Ngā Puhi, Ngā...
Poetry of US civil rights activist Maya Angelou translated and heard in te reo Māori

Poetry of US civil rights activist Maya Angelou translated and heard in te reo Māori

16 Apr 2021
For the first time, well-known poems by famous poet Maya Angelou have been translated into te reo Māori and recited to celebrate wāhine and te reo rangatira.
Making te reo Māori cool: what language revitalisation could learn from the Korean Wave

Making te reo Māori cool: what language revitalisation could learn from the Korean Wave

16 Apr 2021
The state-sponsored pop cultural renaissance of Korea shows how language isn't an obstacle to world domination.
Stacey Morrison: Te reo growing pains

Stacey Morrison: Te reo growing pains

16 Apr 2021
When there were cries of "Māori snowflakes" in the media, it seemed to me the writer was inadvertently confirming the genuine snowball effect that Te Reo.
Reikura Kahi: Fuelling a love for te reo

Reikura Kahi: Fuelling a love for te reo

16 Apr 2021
“It's up to us to keep fighting for our language and ensure its survival. Our language is essential to our identity as Māori.” — Reikura Kahi.
I'm non verbal, but that won't stop me from speaking Māori

I'm non verbal, but that won't stop me from speaking Māori

16 Apr 2021
“For me, te reo adds another dimension to being Māori. It enables one to feel a sense of belonging and connection to their culture and I want to be able to experience that privilege.”
Keep your complaints about te reo Māori to yourself, BSA rules

Keep your complaints about te reo Māori to yourself, BSA rules

09 Mar 2021
The regulatory body that investigates complaints about our TV and radio programmes has today made it clear that the use of te reo Māori is not a breach of any broadcasting standard. Since June last year, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has received 27 enquiries about the...
Record enrolment for te reo Māori, foreign languages down

Record enrolment for te reo Māori, foreign languages down

24 Dec 2020
The number of teenagers studying te reo Māori at secondary school has passed 30,000 for the first time.
No longer scared to speak my language

No longer scared to speak my language

06 Dec 2020
My whole life I’ve been scared to speak my language. First I was scared of getting it wrong, then I was scared that I was wrong to be speaking it at all.
Keeping Māori storytelling alive

Keeping Māori storytelling alive

29 Nov 2020

In a world where technology is taking over and oral traditions are at risk of dying with our kaumātua, Lee Timutimu, with the help of a few famous friends, has made it his mission to keep Māori storytelling alive.

A whānau affair

A whānau affair

21 Nov 2020
“We have almost four generations of te reo Māori speakers in our family. My goal in life before I leave this earth is that those teachings will funnel down to the next three generations after my children.” — Eli Smith.
Fish and chips and a serving of te reo

Fish and chips and a serving of te reo

15 Nov 2020
The Matthews have been serving up te reo to their customers since 2018. The response from customers was so enthusiastic that they decided to host a beginners reo Māori class at the restaurant. Free. They were blown away when about 3,000 people showed interest.
This Pākehā life

This Pākehā life

12 Nov 2020
“I decided to enrol in an immersion course at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, in South Auckland. My friends were impressed, commending me for my ‘bravery’.” — Alison Jones
Reflecting the reo world

Reflecting the reo world

15 Nov 2020

Kristin Ross on the challenges of raising children in a reo-Māori speaking household. “Their decision to be a reo Māori-speaking household instantly cut off friends and whānau who either didn't agree with their decision or found it too challenging...”

Karena Kelly: Translating Dr Seuss into te reo Māori

Karena Kelly: Translating Dr Seuss into te reo Māori

26 Oct 2020
Dr Karena Kelly, a specialist in Māori language and linguistics, took on the task of translating Seuss’ last book published before his death Oh, The Places You’ll Go.
Young Māori clothing designer finds his passion through te reo video icon

Young Māori clothing designer finds his passion through te reo

18 Oct 2020
Luke Moss is a clothing designer from Te Kuiti who makes clothes centred around Māori identity. Luke grew up hating being Māori but connected with his culture after learning te reo.
TEST: Who Are The Māori People Of New Zealand? video icon

TEST: Who Are The Māori People Of New Zealand?

10 Oct 2020
Sign up for an annual CuriosityStream subscription with 26% off and you'll also get free access to Nebula (a new streaming platform I'm helping to build alon...
Pay attention to those who go before - Tainui Stephens

Pay attention to those who go before - Tainui Stephens

03 Oct 2020
"The words of our old people are the stars that guide us on our language journey", says Tainui Stephens. Here he writes about some of the kaumātua who showed him the way.
Revitalising te reo a three-generation process: Prof Rawinia Higgins

Revitalising te reo a three-generation process: Prof Rawinia Higgins

19 Sep 2020
Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders joined together to speak, sing and celebrate te reo at midday on Monday. This "Maori Language Moment", part of Te Wiki o te reo Maori, was the single largest celebration of the Maori language in our history.
Justice Joe Williams on te reo Māori, and synthesising Aotearoa law

Justice Joe Williams on te reo Māori, and synthesising Aotearoa law

19 Sep 2020
“I learned the reo out of joy for the world finally making sense. And I learned the law out of optimism that if it was the agent for the destruction of my koroua’s mana then it equally could be the agent for the reconstruction of the mana of his mokopuna and great mokopuna...”
Hinewehi Mohi: Beyond Twickenham

Hinewehi Mohi: Beyond Twickenham

13 Sep 2020
“We’re talking about the creation of a bilingual music industry... Eventually, all our artists will know that this is something they can access and do, and it will become normal that an artist might have a reo Māori track on their album, as much as they might have a remix.”
A yearning for the reo

A yearning for the reo

20 Aug 2020

“We need to re-establish communities where the language is used in homes and there’s a support network. We want the language to be caught, not taught. We want a living language, not a textbook language, so my whole dream is to reinstate intergenerational transmission ...

Stacey Morrison: Learning te reo Māori is sometimes a luxury

Stacey Morrison: Learning te reo Māori is sometimes a luxury

16 Aug 2020
Learning te reo Māori is not just an academic exercise, says the broadcaster.
Finding your voice through the reo - Tainui Stephens

Finding your voice through the reo - Tainui Stephens

02 Aug 2020
For a long time, I thought that learning te reo Māori was just about learning a language. How wrong I was. Any language represents the personality of the people who speak it. The hardest part about learning Māori, is learning how to think Māori.
Welcome to the reo-volution: On the explosion in Māori language learning

Welcome to the reo-volution: On the explosion in Māori language learning

02 Mar 2020

With te reo Māori classes about to start for 2020, the ‘no vacancy’ signs are going up around the country as people continue to flock to learn our native language. There’s no denying that a reo-volution is underway across Aotearoa.

Pimp my reo - Moana Maniapoto

Pimp my reo - Moana Maniapoto

09 Feb 2020
I’ve always wanted to be confidently fluent and, at times, I’ve felt like it’s been within my grasp, that I’ve almost got there. But then I let it slip away. Other priorities and distractions, life and stuff... I’m going in. It’s time to . . . ā-ā-ākona te reo.
Rawinia Higgins: We’re not being too PC about te reo Māori. We’re worried

Rawinia Higgins: We’re not being too PC about te reo Māori. We’re worried

16 Jan 2020
One of our most well-known food companies, Watties, launched a campaign recently that deliberately misspelled place names, in te reo and English. New Zealand’s first language is endangered. We can’t afford to normalise misspelling and mispronunciation any more than it already is.
Celebrating our reo warriors

Celebrating our reo warriors

01 Dec 2019
“When the Māori Language Commission first opened its doors in 1987, te reo was viewed by many New Zealanders as something that would divide us. Māori language proponents were often seen as the enemy.”
Timoti Karetu: A stickler for standards

Timoti Karetu: A stickler for standards

27 Oct 2019
A couple of years ago, Timoti Karetu, who’s now 82, was knighted for his services to Te Reo Māori. That KNZM wasn’t any surprise because, in a career spanning 60 years, he’d been a major force on behalf of the language — as a school teacher, university lecturer and professor,...
Embracing a place and space that celebrates Māori

Embracing a place and space that celebrates Māori

27 Jun 2018
Kararaina Luke who's been a school principal for 22 years speaks about past, present and the future of Māori children.
Wellington law firm to train all its staff in te reo Māori

Wellington law firm to train all its staff in te reo Māori

21 Jun 2018
Wellington firm becomes first private organisation in NZ to adopt a "Reo Plan" with Māori Language Commission.
Language advice column now a book

Language advice column now a book

28 Jun 2012
A weekly advice page on Maori language in a school newsletter has turned into a newly published book, launched this month, by Otaki's Hēni Jacob.
Watch: Classic Lion King waiata sung in te reo Māori

Watch: Classic Lion King waiata sung in te reo Māori

22 Jun 2000
Cast and crew were dressed in their best for the occasion that had been years in the making.
Race Relations Commissioner wants compulsory te reo in schools

Race Relations Commissioner wants compulsory te reo in schools

06 Feb 2000
Meng Foon believes if te reo Māori is a compulsory school subject, it will help to unite Aotearoa.

As a Māori-speaking māmā, with both whakapapa Māori and Pākehā, I’ve observed those of my whānau who aren’t often exposed to te reo Māori in their daily lives regularly demonstrate the truth of this. They may not be able to converse in te reo or be able to understand what is being communicated specifically, but it’s clear to see that they can get a feeling for what’s being communicated.

— Awanui Te Huia.
Read story - Awanui Te Huia

I didn’t grow up speaking te reo Māori. Mum had a little bit of knowledge but enough to give us the language when we were kids. So I know what it’s like to go out and be hungry for it, go through those years and years of courses learning it.

— Hēmi Kelly.
Read story - Hēmi Kelly

Mum never really regained her reo. She tried to learn again as an adult several times. She thought it would come back to her. But becoming proficient in te reo was heavily dependent in those times on having other people to speak to, and Mum was immersed in the urban Māori lifestyle by then.

— Ramari Jackson-Paniora.
Read story - Ramari Jackson-Paniora

Ngākau titikaha means to be confident. Ngākau is heart, titi means to pierce and kaha means strength. Every time I speak reo I feel my heart is pierced with power and strength.

— Shilo Kino.
Read story - Shilo Kino

New Zealand’s first language is endangered. We can’t afford to normalise misspelling and mispronunciation any more than it already is.

— Professor Rawinia Higgins.
Read story - Professor Rawinia Higgins

Kāore ōku toto Māori, engari ko Aotearoa te whenua i whakatipu mai i a au. I don’t have any Māori blood, but Aotearoa is the land that raised me.

— Rosie Remmerswaal.
Read story - Rosie Remmerswaal

When we were dreaming of a world for our daughter, we wanted her whole world to have te reo Māori in it, not just her parents in the house that she lived in. So, when she goes to play, there are things that reflect her reality. When she watches TV, there are shows that reflect her reality. When she’s in the shops, there are things on the shelf that reflect her reality. And so that was the catalyst for Pipi Mā.

— Kristin Ross.
Read story - Kristin Ross
Awanui Te Huia
Hēmi Kelly
Ramari Jackson-Paniora
Shilo Kino
Professor Rawinia Higgins
Rosie Remmerswaal
Kristin Ross