Te Wiki o te Reo Māori; government consultation on Te Reo Māori strategy

Thu 13 Sep 2018

'Kia Kaha te Reo Māori' is the theme of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), underway 10-16 September 2018. Te Taura Whiri i te Reo ...

'Kia Kaha te Reo Māori' is the theme of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), underway 10-16 September 2018.

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) explains the theme:

"‘Kia Kaha’ is well known in New Zealand English with its correct Māori meaning of ‘be strong’. We often talk about languages as if they are people – talking about language health, strength and revitalisation. So when we say ‘Kia Kaha te Reo Māori’ we’re saying - ‘Let’s make the Māori language strong'."

A range of resources supporting te reo use are available for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Hīkoi reo Māori (Māori language parades) are also being held around the country.

Titiro mai: family and whānau violence i te reo Māori

Some of the kupu Māori (Māori words) used in the Clearinghouse library are:

Tūkinotanga ā-whānau - domestic/family violence

Aukati tūkinotanga - violence prevention

Whakapakari ā-iwi - community or iwi development

Ngā Upoko Tukutuku ǀ Māori Subject Headings were developed by the Māori Subject Headings Project, jointly sponsored by LIANZA, Te Rōpū Whakahau, and the National Library.

Maihi Karauna: draft Māori language strategy

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is a great time to submit on the consultation on Maihi Karauna, the government's draft Māori language strategy.

The deadline for the public submissions is 30 September 2018.

Maihi Karauna (English / Reo Māori) is the Crown’s Strategy for Māori Language Revitalisation 2018–2023. The strategy sets out goals for te reo Māori in the future and government actions to work towards those goals. There are three goals set out to achieve by 2040:

"Aotearoa New Zealand values te reo Māori as a key element of national identity.
One million New Zealanders can speak at least basic te reo Māori.
150,000 Māori speak te reo Māori as a primary language."

While the strategy is for everyone, there are three groups with particular focus: tamariki and rangatahi (children and young people), tāngata matatau ki te reo (fluent speakers) and public servants.

You can give feedback by completing a survey in te reo Māori or in English. For more detailed submissions, email maihi.karauna@tpk.govt.nz.

The draft strategy was developed by Te Puni Kōkiri, Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori, Te Māngai Pāhō, Māori Television Service, Ministry of Education, Department of Internal Affairs and Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Background

Te Ture mō te Reo Māori 2016 (the Māori Language Act 2016) established a partnership between the Crown and iwi and Māori, who are represented by Te Mātāwai. Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) explains that the Act:

"establishes Te Mātāwai as an independent statutory entity to provide leadership on te reo Māori revitalisation on behalf of iwi and Māori
provides for Te Mātāwai and the Crown to develop to support the revitalisation of the Māori language. These strategies are Te Maihi Māori and Te Maihi Karauna
sets out renewed roles for Te Taura Whiri, Te Māngai Paho, and the Māori Television Service.
acknowledges the detrimental effects of past Crown policies and practices that have, over the generations, failed actively to protect and promote the Māori language and encourage its use by iwi and Māori
expresses the Crown’s commitment to work in partnership with iwi and Māori to continue actively to protect and promote this taonga, the Māori language, for future generations."

Maihi Māori, developed and implemented by Te Mātāwai, is focused on language revitalisation among whānau, in homes and at community level. The draft Maihi Karauna is the strategy that outlines Crown actions.

For more information see Te Puni Kōkiri's webpage on Te Reo Māori or watch the video below for the history of the approach to revitalising Te Reo Māori.