Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
A new report published by Te Mātāwai has highlighted the narratives of Māori individuals grappling with language loss and trauma.
An earlier study by Dr Raukura Roa and Professor Tom Roa (2023), defined te reo trauma as 'the emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual harm and distress experienced by Māori individuals due to a lack of proficiency in te reo Māori.'
The new report noted that this can manifest in various ways "including language anxiety and feelings of shame (whakamā) for not being able to speak te reo Māori. Language anxiety can lead to withdrawal from cultural contexts, impacting social interaction and mental health."
'Everyday Experiences of Te Reo Māori Trauma' by Dr Mohi Rua saw five whānau selected for the study, and the report provides a critical analysis of three participants, all Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) and from the first generation raised after the mass urbanisation of Māori.
In this context, their intergenerational transmission was severely disrupted, and te reo was not passed onto them. As such, these whānau stories of reconnection to, and reclamation of, te reo Māori is fraught with whakamā, challenges, and how they understand their own cultural identity.
One interviewee said that a common thing his parents shared was that they were from a generation that got a hiding, got strapped from the teachers of that time.
"If they were to speak te reo Māori or even spoke single words at school, they got a hiding… so, you can understand I guess the trauma that my parents went through and what they wanted for us. What they saw then, they thought that was the right thing, so I guess English was the way to move forward," he said.
Another interviewee recalled when he asked his father why he never spoke te reo Māori to him and his siblings, his father shared the trauma he experienced and questioned the relevance of te reo in contemporary society.
"He shared with us that he was part of that generation that had it beaten out of them... and this is how he put it to us, he thought 'it was a waste of f...ing time' us learning. That's how he put it, which is why he never spoke it to us."
Dr Rua said te reo Māori trauma is a multifaceted issue rooted in the colonial history and injustices that contribute to socio-cultural and economic disparities for Māori today.
"The three interviewees all illustrate the profound experiences of trauma associated with the absence of te reo Māori in their upbringing, fears of making mistakes and the pressure to be proficient in te reo Māori. They share their real stories but remain anonymous," he said.
But at the same time all three of the interviewees have pushed through the reo trauma to continue learning to speak, although to different degrees.
One emphasised her desire for her children to feel comfortable in their cultural environment. "I don't want our kids to be sitting at the marae and go, 'what are they talking about? What are they laughing at? What they say when everyone's laughing?'"
"I've learnt a lot more in the last six months than I have in my whole reo journey, and it's been massive. Our kaiako is awesome but it's shifted our mindset from a colonised and trying to decolonise and put us into a space where we don't think Pākehā, think Māori first and it's been a mean shift," another interviewee said.
Te Mātāwai Hoa-Toihau Mātai Smith said the research moves understanding of this complex topic forward, and emphasises the critical importance of te reo Māori in preserving cultural identity.
"It highlights the various barriers caused by trauma that prevent the effective revival of te reo Māori. These participants provide good examples of successfully working through trauma in their whānau.
"Their stories can be a source of inspiration for other whānau to combat the 'whakamā' many feel with learning te reo."
"Any initiative to overcome te reo Māori trauma needs to be interconnected with whānau, hapū, and iwi - their community and context is important for their own reo journey," he said.
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