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

Kia ora! That's an easy one right? Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, or Māori language week is upon us again.

I find myself in the fortunate position of growing up in a small town, where te reo Māori was frequently in use and also a regular part of the school day.

Kei te pehia koe tamariki? (How are you, children?) the teachers would ask the class "Kei te pai, Mr Green" (I am good Mr Green) the class would answer back in that way only a class full of kids can, the familiar cadence and tone exactly the same as the day before, and the day before that. (We were in that small town so my parents could work as primary school teachers.)

We would use simple phrases and words in the home naturally, my mother would ask where the keys were "Kei hia te keys?"

"I don't know? Have you checked your nono" (rhymes with poor poor, not bro bro) -I don't know, have you checked your bottom? I would answer back.

This might either make my mum kata or laugh at my cheeky response, or perhaps could make her hōhā or a little angry or annoyed, depending on how desperate she was to find the keys to the motokā (car).

When I moved to Taupō for high school, it was a mixed bag of people who had had a lot, or a little exposure to te reo, and I found myself talking to people who said both towel-pow and people who said Toe-Paw.

Not one to speak out of turn, I just accepted that's how it was and carried on. But one thing I just couldn't understand was people who outright said they couldn't say it with the Māori pronunciation. And the reason why was that if you broke it down like I just did above, and you had a toe on your foot, and a paw on your cat, and you put them together, you're nailing it!

But then again, I came from a place and a home where it was as natural as the moana (sea/lake) to say Toe-Paw, so I was lucky. I now know that lots of those people were probably worried about messing it up, and so would prefer not to give it a go.

If only I could go back and tell them no one's going to care if you make a mistake, and it can't hurt to give it a go. That's why I encourage everyone to give at least a word a go, if you've got a Toe and the cat has got a Paw, you might just nail it.

Ka mau te wehi! (car mow tear wear he) Awesome!

- Adam Green