Aotearoa New Zealand Maori Language Day – September 14
September 14, 2012
Ko taku reo taku ohooho, ko taku reo taku mapihi mauria. My language is my awakening; my language is the window to my soul.
Maori Language Day on 14 September commemorates the date in 1972 that a petition was presented to Parliament calling for courses in Maori language and culture to be offered in Aotearoa New Zealand schools. Maori is the foundation language of New Zealand, the ancestral language of the tangata whenua (people of the land) and one of the taonga (treasure) guaranteed protection under the Treaty of Waitangi. It also provides Aotearoa New Zealand with a unique language identity in the world, as this is the only place where Maori is spoken widely.
Arohatia te Reo = cherish the language
No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you do, find a way to express how you can honour, use, speak and support the language of Aotearoa New Zealand.
The website ‘Korero Maori’ is for anyone who wants to speak or learn more about the Maori language. Here you can find interactive conversations, language resources, and advice to help you increase your knowledge of reo Maori.
Give it a go!
