Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, says Te Wiki o te Reo Māori has been a great time for anyone to take up the challenge of learning te reo and put themselves on the path to fluency.
Stats NZ says New Zealanders are getting better at speaking the language and are more supportive of its use in day-to-day life – and its use is steadily increasing.
Ms Tangaere-Manuel says people should need to take it at their own pace.
“My message to everyone out there – kaua e whakamā – give it a try. I think a lot of our whānau Māori get whakamā. They feel like they should know their reo. We all know the circumstances that led to the need to revitalise our reo – so kia kaha koutou,” she says.
Almost a quarter of Māori say they speak te reo as one of their first languages, and 3 in 5 New Zealanders think te reo Māori should be a core subject in primary schools.
