Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020

Published: 14 Sep 2020
Audience:
Academics
Early learning
Education
Māori-medium
Parents
Schools
Topics:
Te reo Māori

14 to 18 September 2020

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori logo

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, 14-20 Mahuru 2020, Māori language week, 14-20 September 2020

Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020 (Maori Language Week), hosted by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission).

The Government has outlined a vision where te reo Māori is heard, seen, spoken and used every day, every way, everywhere, by everyone. Its Māori language strategy, Maihi Karauna, supports the revitalisation strategy of Māori and iwi, led by Te Mātāwai.

Te reo Māori is a taonga of Aotearoa, guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi, and Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020 offers an opportunity for concentrated celebration, promotion and encouragement of te reo.

Māori language is not just about learning and using – it’s also about valuing and promoting the status of te reo Māori, about deepening critical awareness of revitalisation, and the unique position of te reo in Aotearoa.

We have produced a product that we are very proud of, as our contribution to Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020 features the waiata that was specially written for ERO by one of our own, Tipene Lemon. Proudly and beautifully sung by our Te Uepū ā-Motu team, it features videos and photos of te reo in action in our workplace.

Ko te tamaiti was created to support Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori, the Māori Language Moment, for which Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori hopes to have 1 million people speaking, singing and celebrating te reo at the same time.

But, every minute of every hour of every day can be a Māori language moment. Use as much te reo Māori as you know – even just a ‘Kia ora!’ contributes to revitalisation – and add a new word or phrase where you can.

Check out the Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori website, www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz, to get the most out of it. Also find resources for content, a calendar of events, a list of ways to celebrate, learn about the history of the week, and sign up to the Māori Language Moment.

Everyone can support the revitalisation of te reo Māori, whether you speak the language or not.

Let’s participate in Te Wiki o te Reo Māori and Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori and springboard from these events into a reaffirmed commitment to te reo Māori.

Students want more te reo Māori language in their schools

15 September 2020

In support of Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020 the Education Review Office has today released the second report in its series on the current provision of te reo Māori language teaching and learning in New Zealand schools.

Nihinihi whenua – Valuing te reo Māori: Student and whānau aspirations provides a snapshot of student and whānau perspectives on the teaching of te reo. It follows the June publication of Te Tāmata Huaroa, which provides a review of the current status of te reo Māori in English medium school settings.

“Students and whānau spoke to us directly and openly about their aspirations for the language,” ERO Chief Executive Nicholas Pole says. “The four interrelated themes that emerged were: a desire to learn te reo Māori, valuing the importance of te reo Māori, prioritising te reo Māori, and strengthening capability in the education system to deliver the teaching of te reo Māori.

“One student told us ‘I want to learn to teach te reo Māori so I can teach the future generations and keep the reo alive’, and another that ‘Our principal tries to speak it a lot. It’s pretty powerful, he’s putting in an effort and that’s pretty cool in my opinion’.

“Whānau spoke of wanting ‘Te reo to be a language of communication, rather than just a ceremony’, and that ‘Schools need to connect with whānau and iwi so they know the right karakia, waiata and legends that belong to mana whenua’.”

Based on the voices shared in this report, we know that students and their whānau have a strong desire to learn te reo Māori as a part of their everyday schooling in English medium school settings, Mr Pole says. This desire is affirmed when they can see clearly that te reo Māori is valued and prioritised by school leaders and teachers in their learning environment.

Read the full press release here: Students want more te reo Māori language in their schools

How ERO is supporting te reo Māori in the workplace

16 September

We have been working towards the creation of several products in support of Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020.

Today we are proud to share Te kiriata reo Māori o te Tari, which shows how ERO is supporting te reo Māori in the workplace. Take a look and enjoy the inspirational passion and enthusiasm of our colleagues.

Teaching about the Treaty of Waitangi – what are schools doing?

17 September

Published in our latest edition of Insights is a study on the Treaty of Waitangi in schools.

As teaching New Zealand history will be compulsory for schools starting in 2022, Teaching about the Treaty of Waitangi – what are schools doing? examines current approaches to teaching the Treaty of Waitangi in schools. The results, from a sample of 20 secondary schools and 94 primary and intermediate schools, reveal effective teaching approaches, such as incorporating contemporary contexts into learning about the Treaty.

ERO Insights is published quarterly, and will keep you up to date with our latest findings and insights to support quality practice and improvement in schools. You can find all editions here: News. 

Kia kaha Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori 2020

18 September

Sunday marks the last day of Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020. And for ERO it has been an amazing time for us to focus our efforts on normalising te reo Māori in and across all offices and as we work.

Our staff have demonstrated a real passion and commitment to te reo Māori and created real momentum for our shared te reo Māori journey.

Today we release our third video in support of Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020. Kia Kaha te reo Māori shows a final compilation of ERO staff enjoying the revitalisation of te reo Māori during the week’s celebrations. You can watch it here: Kia Kaha te reo Māori

We are so proud of our Te Uepū ā-Motu business unit. You can hear them singing in the background of our latest video, as well as on our Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori 2020 video that was launched on Monday. In addition, as participants in the two te reo Māori quizzes that were held during the week, they placed fourth and first respectively.

The week may be drawing to a close, but the opportunities for learning and using te reo Māori continue. There are plenty of resources at Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. In a nod to the world we now live in, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori has released a Covid-19 word list available here: Covid-19 Māori Word List. And Mahuru Māori is a language challenge running through the entire month of September.

As we navigate through our changed world, the things that define New Zealanders and connect us to home have become more important. Te reo Māori is one of those. A taonga of Aotearoa, it is guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi.

We encourage you to continue to treasure and celebrate something that is part of our identity as New Zealanders – te reo Māori.