A study on the Tūhoe dialect has received an award for its work reviewing traditional language expression.
This week, a Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi study received a grant of $360,000 from the 2024 Marsden Awards, which supports research excellence in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Lead researcher Reuben Collier says their study Ngā Kōrero Tawhito, uses an archive of recordings of native te reo Māori speakers to assess the evolution of the language.
It is an opportunity for tāonga tuku iho to inform where te reo has been, where it is now, and where it is headed.
“It’s a pūrongo that will help all Māori in this endeavour to keep our language alive. Be that a national level, at a regional level, local level, into our homes,” says Collier.
The researchers involved in the study are Collier, Shonelle Wana and Māori broadcasters Julian Wilcox, and Peata Melbourne.
