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Download AudioFor Te Wiki o te Reo Maori. the Maori Language Commission is encouraging people to share stories of language activism as a way to celebrate 50 years since the Maori Language Petition was presented to parliament.
Chair Rawinia Higgins says the struggle for te reo Maori started with those who had very little, not with those who had a lot.
She says a new commission site and its associated toolkete is a way for people to record their own stories or capture those of whanau.
“We don’t want to lose that memory. We don’t want the memories to just be of the officials like myself in these different roles telling that story. We know everyone has a story in their whanau and how do we share those stories with each other to inspire but also hopefully to heal the mamae and also think about what our future could be,” Professor Higgins says.
Activities are planned all around the motu to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Maori including this year’s Maori Language moment at noon on Wednesday, and on the same day a return to parliament by members of the ropu which presented the transformational petition.
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