BEYOND TE WIKI: THE FIGHT TO KEEP TE REO MĀORI GROWING

Another successful Te Wiki o te Reo Māori has wrapped up across Aotearoa, but attention is now turning to how the momentum can be carried beyond one week and into the everyday lives of whānau, workplaces, schools and communities.

This year’s theme, Ake, Ake, Ake – A Forever Language, focused on Te Reo Towns, encouraging communities across the motu to make te reo Māori visible, heard and used throughout the year. Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori says homes, marae, businesses, schools, sports clubs and public services all have a role in ensuring the language flourishes.

That strength is also visible through kaupapa such as Ngā Manu Kōrero, where generations of rangatahi continue to demonstrate the depth, confidence and power of Māori oratory.

But significant challenges remain. Te Taura Whiri’s State of Te Reo Māori work found that while support for the language continues to grow, everyday usage remains comparatively limited, potentially affecting the number of speakers in future generations. It has also identified the need for more Māori-language teachers and sustained policy support for revitalisation.

The political environment has added another dimension. Māori Language Commissioner Professor Rawinia Higgins publicly criticised changes to government branding guidance prioritising English, arguing earlier this year that te reo Māori was again becoming caught in wider political debate.

Te Taura Whiri also pushed back against concerns over public servants attending this year’s Te Wiki parade, maintaining the event was a cultural celebration rather than political activity and stressing that supporting te reo Māori is a responsibility extending beyond the Commission itself.

Meanwhile, the Crown is refreshing Maihi Karauna, its Māori language revitalisation strategy, with the new strategy expected to be completed during 2026. The framework continues to recognise shared responsibility between the Crown, iwi and Māori for revitalising te reo.

The challenge now is ensuring the energy of Te Wiki and the strength displayed by rangatahi at Manu Kōrero become part of something much bigger — a language spoken, protected and passed from one generation to the next, every day of the year.

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