Te reo at home helps keep Maori language alive

The Waipatu kohanga reo in Hastings.

With two children, my fiancee and I are very aware of the difficulties and challenges faced in striving for our children to be bilingual, and for Maori to be the primary language of communication in our home.

One of the first challenges we have faced is that we started slightly late with our eldest - he was 5 years old before we launched our bilingual strategy.

Our youngest, though, has had Maori spoken to him right from day one, and despite the difference of fluency between my fiancee and me, she still speaks as much Maori as possible to him.

At this age, the language genre is mainly commands, encouragement, caution and scolding. With our eldest, now 6, the language is much more conversational. We both made a conscious decision to speak Maori within our home. The hugest challenge is to be committed and speak only Maori, it is very easy to be tempted to speak English.

Sometimes it seems so much easier to convey our thoughts in English, however we must remain steadfast to using Maori.

We have been criticised for wanting our children to speak Maori. I was shocked as this criticism came from fellow Maori, who didn't agree with us speaking Maori to our children in our home and felt it was rude for those who didn't understand the language. In order for your children to be bilingual, parents must be committed. It is important to develop a language plan and be clear on which parent is going to speak which language. Our eldest son is in a full immersion school, our youngest is at kahanga reo. The learning of the second language needs to be creative, innovative, and fun. Make use of the media medium, including Maori Television and Radio Kahungunu (94.3FM). Children must be praised and congratulated when they use the language!

We refuse to pay attention to the critics who disagree with raising bilingual children. It is our right and our contribution to the huge battle faced revitalising the Maori language. Our dream is that our sons will speak Maori to their children, so that the native tongue of New Zealand is never lost.

Te reo version

E rua nei aku tamariki, a, e tino marama rawa atu ana maua ko toku hoa rangatira ki nga taumahatanga o ta maua whai kia reo rua raua, a, kia noho ko te reo Maori hai reo matua ki roto i to matau kainga.

Ko te uauatanga tuatahi, no te ekenga o tamaua matamua ki te rima nga tau, katahi ano maua ka ata whai ki te whangai i te reo Maori ki a ia. Engari ano te taina, nona i puta mai i te kopu, ko te reo Maori anake toku reo korero ki a ia, a, ahakoa kare i pera rawa te matatau o toku hoa, kai te kaha tonu tana korero i te reo Maori ki a raua.

I te nuinga o te wa, he reo tohutohu, he reo akiaki, he reo kohete, he reo whakatupato anake te reo ki ta maua potiki. Kua ono nga tau o te matamua, a, kua kaha ake te whakawhitiwhiti korero i waenganui i a matau.

Na maua te whakatau kia reo Maori to maua kainga. Ko te uauatanga nui, ko te u ki te reo Maori, kia kaua maua e riro i nga whakawai o te reo Pakeha. I etahi wa ka tino mama ke atu te whakaputa i oku whakaaro ki te reo Pakeha, heoi me u tonu ki te reo Maori.

Tera hoki etahi e whakatake ana i to maua hiahia kia reo Maori a maua tamariki. I tumeke au i te hanga nei, he Maori hoki e whakahe nei kia korerotia ko te reo Maori anake i to maua kainga.

E reo rua ai o tamariki, me u nga matua, ahakoa pehea. Me whakarite mahere penei i ta maua nei, ko au ka korero Maori anake, ko ia ka korero Pakeha. Kai te kura kaupapa Maori ta maua matamua, a, kai te kohanga reo te taina. Me ngahau, ara, me kimi i nga kemu, i nga takaro hai whakaratarata mai i o tamariki. Me kimi pukapuka reo Maori hai panui mau ki o tamariki. Me matakitaki i te Pouaka Whakaata Maori, me whakarongo ki Te Reo Irirangi o Ngati Kahungunu. Me whakanui e koe o tamariki i a ratau ka korero Maori ana.

Me rite tonu te akiaki, kaua e pehia.

Hai aha atu maku nga whakahe a etahi mo te ahua o ta maua whai kia reo Maori a maua tamariki. No maua te mana whakapakeke i a maua tamariki, a, koinei ta maua kokiri hai whakaora i te reo Maori. Ko to maua wawata, ka reo Maori hoki a maua tama ki a raua tamariki a tona wa, kia kore ai e ngaro te reo taketake o Aotearoa.