Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Minister of Maori Affairs

31 July 2009
Media Release

Set of Maori language research reports now complete

A set of research reports, which shows the health of the Maori language is improving, has been completed by Te Puni Kokiri.

“It’s great to be able to say that te reo Maori is in a healthier state than it was five years earlier,” said Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples.

“These reports show Maori and non-Maori people have increasingly positive attitudes towards te reo Maori; more Maori adults can speak Maori; and te reo Maori is being used more, especially at home and by young children,” he said.

The reports are based on a national survey carried out in 2006, combined with earlier survey reports and census data. There is a national overview report, eight regional reports, and sector reports on the use of Maori language in education, broadcasting, arts, and archives.

“The series of regional reports have local data for community language planners, and information about local initiatives to revitalise regional or tribal dialects. The key facts are summarised into regional fact sheets, to make the information more accessible,” Dr Sharples said.

“While the picture is improving, we must remember that the starting point was the near extinction of te reo Maori. It is really important that the trends are good, but we must never get complacent. There is still so much to do.

“Maori language and education are intimately tied together. It was kaupapa Maori education, starting with kohanga reo, that played a critial role in turning around the future for our language,” he said.

“But the majority by far of Maori children go to mainstream schools, which are not doing well at educating our young people, and reinforcing their identity as Maori. Our children need to grow up in environments where Maori identity and culture are celebrated and flourish.

“These are very important issues for Maori - and no less important for non-Maori. Our reo is a taonga that we want to share – and we need our offer to be taken up, and for our reo to be widely used and enjoyed, to ensure its long-term survival and growth.

“Fieldwork has been completed for the next survey of public attitudes towards te reo Maori, and I look forward to seeing ther results when the data are analysed, towards the end of this year,” said Dr Sharples.

The next survey of the health of the Maori language is planned for 2011.

Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Minita Maori

31 July 2009 Panui korero
He purongo rangahautanga reo Maori kua oti
Kua oti i Te Puni Kokiri tetahi huinga purongo rangahautanga, e kitea ai te oranga ake o te reo Maori.

“He oranga ngakau ano hoki, ina piki tonu te ora o te reo, atu i tona ahua i nga tau e rima ki muri,” hei ta te Minita Maori ta Pita Sharples.

“E ai ki enei purongo korero, kei te rata haere te ngakau o te iwi Maori, o te iwi Pakeha hoki ki te reo Maori; he tokomaha ake hoki nga taipakeke Maori e kaha ana ki te korero Maori; a, he nui atu te reo Maori e korerotia ana i te kainga, e te tamariki,” hei tana.

Ko te putake o enei purongo, he rangahautanga o te reo Maori i te tau 2006, e whakaritea ana ki nga rangahautanga o mua, ki nga tatauranga tangata. Ko tetahi purongo, mo te motu whanui; e waru ano nga purongo-a-rohe, a, he tirohanga ano e wha, ki te reo Maori i roto i nga kaupapa akoranga; nga kaupapa whakapaho; nga mahi whakaari, mahi toi; a, me nga kaupapa tiaki taonga korero.

“Kei roto i nga purongo-a-rohe, he kitenga ma nga kaikokiri kaupapa whakarauora i te reo, he korero hoki mo nga kaupapa whakapakari i nga reo-a-iwi. Kua whakaemitia nga kitenga nunui ki roto i nga pukapuka iti hei tirotiro ma te iwi whanui,” e ai ki te Minita.

“Heoi ano, ahakoa kei te pai haere te ahua o te reo, me maumahara tatou, ka timata mai i te tata hemonga o te reo Maori. He pai kia piki tonu te ora, engari me kaua rawa tatou e noho noa iho. He nui tonu nga mahi ma tatou.

“He hoa piri tata te reo Maori me te akoranga tamariki. Na nga kohanga reo, kura kaupapa Maori hoki te reo i huri ai, atu i te mate ki te ora,” hei tana.

“Otira kei te haere te nuinga noa atu o nga tamariki Maori ki nga kura auraki, kaore e pai ana te ako, te whakamana ranei i nga tamariki Maori i reira. Me tipu ake te tamariki Maori i roto i te ao e whakanuitia ai te wairua Maori.

“He take nui enei mo te Maori, a, mo iwi ke hoki. Ko to tatou reo, he taonga hei tuku ki etahi atu. Me manaakitia ta matou tuku, me korerotia whanuitia te reo, me arohaina nuitia, kia toiora tonu, kia pakari haere, ake tonu atu.

“Kua oti nga rangahautanga mo te rarata o nga whakaaro o te marea e pa ana ki te reo, a, kei te tatari au kia puta mai nga hua, a te paunga o tenei tau,” hei ta Takuta Sharples.

Hei te tau 2011 ka rangahautia ano nga ahuatanga o te ora o te reo.

ENDS

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