June 16, 2023
Māori example inspires Pacific language revival
An organiser of the first major symposium on Pacific language revival says Māori have shown the way.
Koloa – a Tongan word for ‘treasure’ – attracted more than 300 language experts to the Due Drops Event Centre in Manukau to encourage and shape the future revitalisation of indigenous Pacific languages.
Iani Nemani from the Centre For Pacific Languages says special tribute was paid to the work done to revitalise te reo Maori.
“Maori have led the way for Aotearoa – and that’s paved the way for Pasifika. And in fact I spoke to a couple of other people there – who weren’t Pasifika – and they’re standing there saying ‘what does this mean for us?’ So they need the vision for their own space,” he says.
Mr
Nemani says many Pacific languages are on the verge of extinction, but the te reo revitalisation has shown what can be achieved with passion, drive and determination.