March 29, 2023
Reo challenge needs unity
Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peter is trying to divide Māori when unity is needed.
Mr Peters is promising to put a stop to giving Māori names to government agencies.
He says it’s an abuse of the Māori language.
“I’m in to having more reo, not less and I’m into having more matauranga in our life and I want to see our history, not less. I think Winston is trying to bring up a division at a time we need to be united, and that includes being united on our ability to reclaim our reo,” Ms Ngarewa Packer says.
She says even if agencies don’t always uphold the mana of their Māori names, it is being done with good intentions on the part of the rangatira involved.