Moana Maniapoto speaks at the M9 Matariki celebration.
Video / M9
It's been an absolute ataahua month for TV host and Māori entertainer Moana Maniapoto.
Over the last few weeks, her TV show Te Ao with Moana won back-to-back Best Current Affairs Show at the Voyager Media Awards 2022.
Last week her 1991 song AEIOU was re-released by Tiki Taane as one of the 26 Waiata Anthems and on Friday, the first lady of Māori entertainment, Maniapoto, singer, songwriter and documentary maker will be part of the M9 speakers at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre at Auckland's Aotea Centre.
After celebrating the media awards, less than a week later the song, which was a national anthem at the time, was re-released.
"The release on Waiata Anthems gave me an opportunity to flash back and reflect," Maniapoto said.
"It is still a vivid memory that 30 years ago I dragged my dad into a video clip along with, Temuera Morrison and bunch of others.
"It was cool to look back at that video and reflect on how much progress we have made in our struggle for te reo but realise we still have a long way to go."
Maniapoto, who was bought up in te reo says she's always considered herself a reo refugee.
"I want to talk about that this Friday and I don't want to beat myself up for not being as fluent as my two children, who both learnt Māori as their first language.
"I learnt te reo that was written from books but really didn't hear the language spoken until I went to Victoria University and there was a group of young kōhanga kids who had come through with Māori as their first language.
"Who would have thought back that if you speak te reo, you would actually get a job where you use the language?
"It was a novelty."
Maniapoto's mum - a Pākehā - was also hesitant about tamariki learning te reo as a first language.
"My mum said to me how am I going to cope as a nana speaking Pākehā to my Māori speaking grandkids," Maniapoto said.
She said children nowadays are able to switch between English and te reo, as easily as ordering fries with a burger.
"I don't know why everyone has a meltdown when TV broadcasters switch between English and te reo," Maniapoto said.
"You go to Europe and kids there go between five languages."
Maniapoto is hoping Friday's event will celebrate the disrupters and transformers.
"I hope the younger generations realise they are the beneficiaries of the fights and struggles of many people and we are still fighting," she said.
Nine powerful voices, nine unique perspectives
Maniapoto is speaking at the second edition of the M9 series on September 9.
Produced by music artist and reo advocate Ria Hall through Janda Productions, the event coincides with the build-up to Te Wiki o te reo Māori (Māori Language Week).
"Te reo Māori is the lifeblood of this whenua and it thrives in so many incredible contexts," says Hall.
"It was of the utmost importance to me that this instalment of M9 showcases voices that represent the full spectrum of lived te reo Māori experiences, from those who are beginning their journey to those born into the language.
"There is something here to entice and inspire everyone, from all walks of life."
Hosted by broadcaster and reo expert Stacey Morrison (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tahu), the event line-up also includes songwriter, kapa haka exponent and self-confessed ''activist" Rob Ruha (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-a-Apanui), te reo Māori lecturer, author and online educator Hēmi Kelly (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tahu, Ngāti Whao) and award-winning journalist and artist Moana Maniapoto (Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa).
• Tickets for M9 are available now – visit Ticketmaster for more details.
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
