A lifetime dedicated to revitalising te reo Māori has been recognised with the appointment of respected language champion Erana Te Haeata Brewerton to the Te Mātāwai Board, representing Māori language communities across Aotearoa.
Brewerton, who whakapapa to Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Rakaipaaka, Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungunu, has been appointed as the Te Reo Tukutuku representative for the community sector.
Her appointment follows more than 40 years working at the forefront of the Māori language revitalisation movement, including her longstanding involvement with Te Ataarangi, one of the country’s pioneering community-based language initiatives.
A Lifetime Dedicated to Reclaiming Te Reo Māori
Brewerton was recognised as a Manutea o Te Ataarangi in acknowledgement of her extraordinary contribution to the survival, recovery and growth of te reo Māori.
Established in 1979, Te Ataarangi pioneered a community-based immersion teaching approach that helped lay the foundations for the Māori language revitalisation movement.
Its work predates the establishment of kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori, kura-a-iwi and Māori tertiary institutions, demonstrating the important role grassroots communities have played in reclaiming te reo Māori.
Over four decades, Brewerton has helped strengthen Māori-speaking communities, promote cultural identity and support the transmission of language between generations.
Her experience also includes national leadership and governance roles in adult community education, alongside tertiary teaching and management.
Taking Māori Language Revitalisation to the World
Brewerton’s contribution extends beyond Aotearoa.
She has worked with Māori communities living in Australia and collaborated with other Indigenous peoples internationally, including the Ainu Mosir of Japan.
That work has involved sharing knowledge and supporting language revitalisation initiatives in communities where Indigenous languages have experienced the damaging effects of assimilation.
Te Mātāwai Hoa-Toihau Ruakiri Fairhall says Brewerton brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to strengthening the communities where te reo Māori is spoken and sustained.
Her appointment recognises the importance of community leadership in ensuring the language continues to grow beyond formal education settings.
The Dream: Te Reo Māori Spoken in Every Whānau
For Brewerton, the future of te reo Māori depends on creating environments where the language is a natural and everyday part of life.
Her vision is for tamariki and rangatahi to grow up surrounded by multiple generations of Māori speakers, with te reo Māori used confidently across whānau, neighbourhoods and communities of shared interest.
That vision extends beyond classrooms and formal language programmes to the everyday conversations, relationships and experiences that help keep a language alive.
It also reflects the central kaupapa of Te Ataarangi, which places whānau and community participation at the heart of language revitalisation.
The appointment comes as Māori language advocates continue to emphasise the importance of intergenerational transmission, ensuring te reo Māori is not simply learned but lived.
Te Mātāwai Acknowledges Outgoing Board Member
Te Mātāwai has also acknowledged the contribution of outgoing Te Reo Tukutuku – Hapori representative Teina Boasa-Dean, who has served on the Board since 2018.
Hoa-Toihau Mātai Smith thanked Boasa-Dean for her advocacy on behalf of Māori language communities and her contribution to rangahau Māori and te taiao.
During her tenure, she chaired Komiti Rangahau and represented Te Mātāwai in Taiwan as a delegate involved in Indigenous language research.
Her service has helped support the organisation’s work in strengthening Māori language communities and advancing language revitalisation initiatives.
Strengthening the Future of Te Reo Māori
Te Mātāwai plays an important role in supporting iwi and Māori-led efforts to revitalise te reo Māori, with community leadership central to its kaupapa.
Brewerton’s appointment brings decades of practical experience, educational leadership and Indigenous language advocacy to the Board.
It also reinforces the significance of grassroots movements such as Te Ataarangi, whose contribution to the recovery of te reo Māori continues to influence language revitalisation across Aotearoa.
After more than 40 years championing te reo Māori, Erana Te Haeata Brewerton’s message remains focused on the generations to come: the true measure of language revitalisation is a future where te reo Māori thrives naturally in homes, across whānau and throughout everyday community life.
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