September 06, 2012
Compulsory Maori Language
Opinion: I’ve had a great Māori Language Week and participated in two debates over the language being made compulsory. It’s funny listening to the opposition.
It’s the same old nonsense. Excuses like – we should not be compelled to do anything and you can’t talk Māori anywhere other than in New Zealand.
And then there’s the Māori education response which on the surface sounds reasonable but after a little investigation just sounds like another excuse to keep a lot of Māori educationalists and academics in a job.
That excuse is that we don’t have enough teachers to roll out compulsory Maori language programmes in the schools so we’ll just end up embarrassing ourselves.
And actually that is true, but here’s the real story. For many years we haven’t been able to find enough teachers to roll out the reo competently in mainstream schools and in fact that will be the case for the next 100 years if we don’t make the language compulsory.
If it’s made compulsory then the Government will prioritise it and the necessary resources will be made available so that we can train and find the teachers who can roll out Te Reo Māori programmes. It’s as simple as that, if it’s not compulsory then there’s no pressure what so ever on governments to implement Māori language programmes around the country.
Te Reo Māori should be made part of the school curriculum exactly like Maths and English which believe it or not are compulsory for all students in this country.
Our kids, all New Zealand kids, Māori, Pakeha, Pacific Islanders, and Asians should grow up learning Māori. If compulsory Māori language was implemented in the schools right now within a generation i.e. 25 years this country would be close to bi-lingual and everyone would be better for that.
This opposition to Māori language compulsion is based on ignorance, stupidity and unfortunately racism. There are many things in society that are compulsory and we have to follow rules all around the country. Maths and English are compulsory, we are not allowed to smoke in bars and restaurants, we are not allowed to hit our kids, we have to stop at red lights, and we have to pay our taxes, my goodness it goes on and on.
So why the heck is there such opposition over learning our language? Surely it’s not just because it’s Māori? Well, the answer is, that’s exactly why, too many ill informed red necks hate the thought of anything Māori. That same lot resent the haka and the national anthem in Māori. I reckon they should all go and jump in the lake it’s time for all Kiwi kids to grow up learning Māori. Ako to tatou reo inaianei.