OPINION
Toitū te reo, toitū te iwi Māori.
One in five Maori now live in Australia. We are here and our language is strong.
Māori in Australia embrace our native language while living abroad, whether it is a simple “Kia Ora” at Westfield shopping mall, to Whaikorero in more formal settings, Te reo Māori is thriving here.
You just need to use it wherever you are regardless of how much you know.
One of the negative aspects of Māoridom is the condemnation and belittling of others who are trying to give it a go.
That’s not who we are – we are magic people.
Te reo is about giving it a go because there is a lot of mana in our native language. Not only is there mana in the language itself but mana in speaking te reo everyday.
The many dialects ofiwi can be heard at prominent gatherings in Australia, and we know straight away where we belong.
Te reo means we identify and know exactly who our people are.
Accessing Māori language resources in Australia has never been easier.
In Australia, champions of te reo have pushed this very kaupapa for many years through teaching our babies at kōhanga, at home and advancing our adult learners in programmes like Te Ātārangi. Tutors from Melbourne to Brisbane and everywhere in between are holding space to enrich their communities with te reo.
A cohort of Australian-based Māori have just returned from Aotearoa, having completed a weekend symposium as part of their Bachelor of Māori Performing Arts programme.
Why is this even important to Australia? The answer returns to the fact that there is mana in te reo.
In order to understand who we are and where we are going, Māori diaspora in Australia must embrace and actualise the language in every way.
Kapa haka is just one way. Traditional healing, arts, waiata, engaging with indigenous peoples more locally and rurally across Australia are another.
Māori Language Week epitomises this very statement because te reo is what connects us to all those things.
If the language is what connects us, then Māori language is an infinite celebration of who we are. We don’t just celebrate a week of it but a lifetime of it.
Toitū te reo, toitū te iwi Māori. Keeping the language strong, to keep the people strong.
Māori Language Week: Te reo Māori soaring in Australia as more strive to learn their language
