May 01, 2023
Children’s waiata embrace te reo
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A record number of waiata incorporating te reo Māori have been entered for this year’s New Zealand Children’s Music Awards.
Awards presenter Suzy Cato, who’s known for fronting long-running children’s programmes You And Me and Suzy’s World, says waiata are an important part of introducing preschoolers to te reo Maori.
She says young children thrive on repetition, and what they pick up at that age will help normalise the language.
“The more we can use te reo in everyday life, the more it is going to be used fully,” Ms Cato says.
The awards will be presented at an event at the Tuning Fork, in Auckland on Sunday.