The Hits: Don't be afraid to speak out in te reo Māori

The Hits DJ Adam Green.

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022. A milestone in maintaining and growing the use of te reo Māori in the community, 50 years after Hana Te Hemara marched to parliament, signatures in hand, to ensure one of NZ's official languages was not lost, in our country Aotearoa-New Zealand.

In years before this, Māori in New Zealand had, in some instances, had the language quite literally beaten from them, while others, believing that to progress was to lose te reo Māori from their communities and homes, stopped using it altogether.

In those 50 years we have seen the growth of Māori Language Day into the Māori Language Week we currently have, and the continued normalisation of te reo Māori use in everyday New Zealand.

In the previous week, I have been lucky enough to speak to some prominent New Zealanders about their journey learning not only te reo Māori, but also of their history, their culture, and the struggles those before them have undergone.

Award winning journalist and stalwart of 6pm in NZ homes, Mike McRoberts, spoke of being called out as 'not Māori enough' due to his lack of te reo Māori knowledge, and his recent documentary was an eye-opening account of what so many grown Kiwis go through in an attempt to learn, and reconnect.

Brad Kora and Miharo Gregory from popular band L.A.B also spoke of some of the negative feedback they've received while bringing Māori language to the forefront of New Zealand music, alongside so many other musicians, from Dave Dobbyn to Benee.

I count myself lucky to have grown up in a part of New Zealand where te reo Māori and kapa haka were as easily accepted and used in schooling and home as subjects such as maths and science - that, and that my (somewhat limited but certainly there) Māori heritage has allowed me to use te reo Māori in my home, and throughout my life, without second-guessing if I was getting it 'right'.

I know others have a very different experience and amount of exposure, but believe me when I say, there's no one waiting to growl at you for a mispronunciation or a word in the wrong place!

I'm by no means fluent, and I certainly get things mixed up sometimes, but it's only through trial and error that I can learn, grow, and continue to use te reo Māori in my house and life, so that my tamariki can also treasure this taonga of New Zealand.

Karawhiua! (Ka Rah Whew ah) Which means- give it a go!