ttwlogo

 

Maori Language Week 2011

Iwi and Language

 

 The importance of Maori language in the home and in the community; promoting the language to increase critical awareness and status; connecting total immersion education with iwi dialectical development; and a discussion about the Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori role with government are just some of the things that the organisation discusses with iwi on a regular basis.

Iwi also take the opportunity to share their struggles and successes with language regeneration at a local and iwi level.

The Board have so far met with Nga Puhi, Ngati Awa, Te Arawa, Tuhoe, Ngati Porou, Te Whakatohea, Te Whanau a Apanui, Ngati Whatua, Tauranga Moana, Whanganui and Taranaki.

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori role is to advocate language revitalisation issues with government and meeting with iwi to discuss and hear their issues enables the organisation to fairly and accurately uphold that mandate.

While feedback from iwi thus far regarding initial hui has been very positive, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori acknowledges that iwi commitment to the language varies depending on what kind of capacity and resource they are able to commit to it.

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori is only too aware that iwi have a number of competing priorities to manage. However the language is the cornerstone of iwi and Maori social and cultural development and is a neccessary tool to bring about progress on all fronts.

Some iwi are more active than others with regard to the language. Perhaps the most successful iwi language strategy to date is Whakatupuranga Rua Mano, developed by Ngati Raukawa in Otaki.

Te Reo o Taranaki is another iwi driven kaupapa, concentrating on promulgating the Taranaki mita amongst existing speakers, but also bringing beginner speakers along.



Generation Reo and Kotahi Mano Kaika are initiatives driven by Ngai Tahu, the former being a promotion programme modeled on social marketing concepts, the latter being a strategy aimed at creating 1000 Maori language speaking homes in the Christchurch area.

Whakareia ki te Hinu Raukawa is another language strategy driven by Ngati Raukawa ki te raki. This iwi is very active in the area of revitalising language, running many different projects and initiatives in the community.