Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori : Ākina

Ākina – give it a go

The events for Māori Language Week every year in July just keep getting bigger and better. Communities all around Aotearoa New Zealand, and in many overseas cities will be holding gatherings, public talks, exhibitions, display boards, advertising, and in Whanganui-ā- Tara/Wellington, there’s an inaugural street parade.

This year, Te Wiki starts 4 July, and everyone is encouraged to use Māori language amongst whānau, with friends and even strangers. Some people turn it into a month of using te reo, with phrases and words for each week of the month.

It is useful at this time of year, to remind ourselves of the history to Māori language revitalization in Aotearoa New Zealand. There’s a timeline that you can access on the Māori Language Commission’s website with information that helps put where we are today into perspective, and on that website you will also find reports on the use of the language, and language resources you can print out.

Give it a go! And if you get stuck, pull out your Ira deck of words, and let the inspiration flow, one word at a time.

Karawhiua! Awesome!