Demand outstrips supply for reo Māori help

Moeawa Fransen Poia Rewi | Demand outstrips supply for reo Māori help

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The head of Māori language agency Te Mātāwai says more money is needed to meet demand for support of te reo Māori within hapū, iwi and in homes around Aotearoa.

Poia Rewi says over the past year it spent $10 million on 68 Māori language events, 200-plus wananga, 100 language classes and 94 language planning events, benefiting more than 58,000 people.

It also funded Māori language navigators and administrative support out in the regions, as well as meeting its partnership obligations to support what the crown is doing to revitalise te reo Māori.

“You look at things like Education, their budgets way exceed the small budget Te Mātāwai has. When you think Te Mātāwai has to look after the whole Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora, the whole collective strategy for Maori language revitalisaition,” Dr Rewi says.

Te Mātāwai could have used another $33 million to fund all the proposals put to it.

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