100 signatures reached
To: the House of Representatives - Parliament
Upsize the celebration of te Reo with Mahuru Māori
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Mahuru Māori will help secure the future of Te Reo Māori. Since 1975 te reo has had a concentrated and promoted celebration of one week. For its continued growth, I believe that to be a language spoken every day, everywhere, by everyone requires more than just one week a year. It must be heard, spoken, felt, seen, and experienced, and a month gives more opportunities for that to happen. In my view, Mahuru Māori, as the official month of concentrated, positive celebration of te reo Māori, will have a far more reaching positive effect than one week a year!
Why is this important?
Te Reo Māori - the Māori language forms a part of our unique identity and culture in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is one of the official languages of our country and as English is spoken every day, everywhere by everyone so should te reo Māori (with sign).
A strategy to enable its growth was to have a concentrated period to celebrate and promote te reo māori, that is Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori - Māori language week and has been the case since 1975.
Almost 50 years has passed and it's time to uplift the concentrated celebration and positive promotion of our Reo Māori - Māori language to further enable its growth to thrive and flourish, and its development as a language of value for all Aotearoa New Zealanders. It is what makes us uniquely different in the world. Making the official celebration for the month of Mahuru ( September) called Mahuru Māori will really boost the promise of a vibrant future for te reo Māori.