19 Sep 2021

New Zealanders must keep te reo Māori momentum going - Stacey Morrison

5:11 pm on 19 September 2021

It might be the last day of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, but the challenge now is to keep the mahi going, a prominent author and broadcaster says.

No caption

Photo: RNZ

Stacey Morrison says Māori language week has gone incredibly well, especially considering Auckland's continuing stint in lockdown.

It has shown how even in a hard situation, te reo Māori is worthwhile and helps us interpret things.

"So when we say 'kia kaha' we know we're saying 'be strong', 'kia maia' 'be bold', 'kia manawanui' and 'be steadfast and patient'. So I think that Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori has gone well and now our challenge is to look at how we don't fall off all the other weeks of the year."

A good way to ease yourself into te reo Māori is practising pronunciation, which increases speaking confidence, Morrison said.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs