Hon Te Ururoa Flavell

Te Minita Whanaketanga Māori
Minister for Māori Development

11 September 2017

Minister welcomes Māori Language Week

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell has issued a challenge for the 42nd Māori Language Week which starts today.

“Use Māori Language Week to make a change in your life that lasts well beyond the week,” Mr Flavell says.

“No matter what level your te reo Māori is, everyone should be able to think of a change they can introduce to their own lives to support more Māori in our communities.

“It may be as simple as saying ‘Mōrena’ every morning or saying ‘kia ora’ instead of ‘thank you’. Be brave and give something a go.”

The Minister says te reo Māori becoming more of a living language throughout society was an aim of Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori (the Maori Language Act) 2016.

“Te Wiki o te reo Māori is a great reminder of this aim to speak and support our language so that it may be heard everywhere and all the time.”

Mr Flavell says a #kōrero pin released recently as part of Rotorua’s celebration of becoming the country’s first bilingual city also contributed to that aim.

“The pins are for people who want to illustrate their support for te reo Māori and who wish to use more te reo Māori in their daily lives.

“Whatever one’s fluency, the important thing is our willingness to support and breathe life into our indigenous language.”

Mr Flavell says a special edition silver #kōrero pin will be released as part of Te Wiki o te reo Māori.

“The theme for Te Wiki o te reo Māori this year is Kia ora te reo Māori and I would love all New Zealanders to use that as an inspiration to include more te reo Māori in their own lives.”

ENDS

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