August 11, 2022
Language reborn on the back of trauma
The co-chair of language revitalisation organisation Te Mātāwai says in celebrating the 35th anniversary of the official recognition of te reo Māori, people should not forget the trauma involved in bringing the language back from the brink of extinction.
Bernie O’Donnell says in the 15 years between the presentation of the Māori Language Petition in 1972 and the passing of the Māori Language Act, the baby boomer generation had to fight every day for change.
“I just want to recognise and acknowledge our people that grew up in that generation of boomers that had to endure that racism that told us being Māori was a dead end street, learning Māori language was a waste of time, who had to face the day and I mean every day who had to go out into the real world and defend their taha Māori,” he says.
Mr O’Donnell says government agencies say the crown’s obligation is to protect the language, whereas for Māori it’s te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, you can’t have a language without people and culture.