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Maori MPs are calling on their colleagues to perform a mass haka on the steps of Parliament - to show their support for the teaching of the Maori language.
Hone Harawira will ask his colleagues to help organise a Thursday lunchtime mass haka of MPs led by Dr Pita Sharples before Parliament breaks for the week.
"Every pakeha I know can do Ka Mate Ka Mate," he said. "I think it would be a great statement from the politicians - that we're showing our support for the language."
Mr Harawira was one of the original members of activist group Nga Tamatoa which petitioned Parliament to promote the language in 1975. Out of that petition came Maori Language Week, which begins today.
Census figures show the total number of those speaking te reo has declined slightly during the past five years.
However, Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia is expected to release survey results this week that show proficiency levels have increased.
In 2001, 130,485 Maori could use their language - a quarter of the Maori population. Last year, with a higher population, the total rose marginally to 131,613 but the percentage had dropped to 23.7.
Mr Harawira said language revitalisation was something the country could not afford to be complacent about. He called for increased support for kura kaupapa teachers.
However, National's Maori spokesman Tau Henare thought the plan for the mass haka was stupid.
"If he [Harawira] wants to prove himself let him. I don't want to do the haka on the front steps of Parliament just because it's Maori Language Week. Maori Language Week should be every week."
Mr Horomia said policy was being developed to address the supply problem of Maori medium teachers. But he also wanted more comprehensive te reo instruction at primary and early education level.
