Toitū Te Reo 2025, Aotearoa’s Māori language festival founded and facilitated by Jeremy Tātere McLean, has announced proposed changes to secure its future as a charitable trust and expand its impact.
Event Details
- Purpose: Toitū Te Reo is Aotearoa’s national Māori language festival, aimed at celebrating the language, creating a space for its normalisation, and discussing important issues related to its future.
- Theme: The 2025 kaupapa (theme) was “Tītiro Whakaroto – Look Within,” focusing on resetting, renewing, and bringing fresh thinking to the revitalisation of te reo Māori after several challenges faced during the year.
- Format: The event included both free public street festivals in the Hastings CBD (with concerts, food stalls, and workshops) and ticketed symposiums.
- Symposium Streams: The symposiums were split into two streams:
- Rangimamao: Full immersion in te reo Māori for fluent speakers.
- Pūmotomoto: Sessions delivered in English for learners.
- Topics: Discussions covered contemporary issues such as the impact of artificial intelligence, sustaining language in the home, accessibility, and neurodiversity in language acquisition.
- Organisers: The festival was founded and facilitated by Jeremy Tātere McLean, with support from partners including Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Inc., Te Mātāwai, and Hastings District Council.
