Problem: Te Reo isn’t being as embraced as it should be
People saying it’s on the rise up but in my day to day experience as a New Zealander I barely hear anyone speak Māori.
Arguments and debates have been going on for years about how necessary Te Reo Māori is to New Zealanders. “Learning in schools must be about more than promoting things, Maori is not an international language it is not a language of trade or business so why should it be forced on all?” – Mike Hosking 9 May 2018. Māori businesses have an economic asset base of close to 50 billion dollars and research shows that one valued key competency in that area is knowledge of Te Reo Māori (Kelly). But what I struggle to understand is how all our country focuses on in this area is the tactical and economic benefit it has for us. Where this is very important, I believe this is just as important as learning about Te
Āo Māori in respect of the land we live on. Less than 1% of non-Māori could speak Māori in 2001, and only 10% indicated that learning Te Reo Māori is a high priority for them. These low figures are indication of how much New Zealand needs help embracing our native language and how much they need to be convinced that Te Reo is worth revitalising and learning. Māori have shown mana (strength) and resilience in maintaining Te Reo regardless of the European dominated society ultimately banning the right to speak it in the 1980s. This justifies why it’s worthwhile and if
not a necessity to revitalize it now.
Articles:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/106924911/the-question-of-compulsory-te-reo-maori-in-schools
Statistics:
https://figure.nz/chart/BRPaE1bC4nnAt1Pt-jq9OQbFWwUdDtjFV
Māori language week: https://www.tewikiotereomaori.co.nz/
“Te Reo Māori is living, dynamic and rich. As you learn, you appreciate that diversity is the key to wellbeing and unity.”
September 9th – 15th 2019
A good start for people of New Zealand to become educated and involve themselves with the language of our indigenous people and our ancestors.
Georgia Hood Ihi Wehi 