Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori is a time for celebration, reflection, and collective action to preserve and elevate Te Reo Māori – our language, our taonga, our legacy. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia is proud to stand alongside our hapū, whānau, and all communities to mark this important occasion. This year’s theme, “Ake Ake Ake – A Forever Language,” reminds us that Te Reo endures beyond the challenges of the present and will continue to flourish for future generations.
A Language That Endures
Te Reo Māori is not merely a mode of communication – it is a living expression of our culture, identity, and history. Our language connects us to our tūpuna and ensures that the mātauranga (knowledge), they passed down continues to guide us today. Ake Ake Ake speaks to the resilience of our reo, the same resilience that allowed it to survive generations of suppression, and the ongoing efforts of iwi, hapū, and whānau to revitalise it in modern-day Aotearoa.
We firmly believe that our work to protect and promote Te Reo Māori is not only about preserving the past but also about shaping the future. It is about ensuring that our tamariki and mokopuna can stand proudly in their identity, grounded in the knowledge that Te Reo Māori is their inheritance – one that they will carry forward, forever.
Facing New Challenges Under the Current Government
We acknowledge that, under the current government, the challenges faced by Māori are as pressing as ever. We have long been dedicated to the protection of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the principles of partnership, sovereignty, and mutual respect that it represents. As our Chair, Kipa Munro stated in our letter to ACT Leader, David Seymour, “Ngāti Rēhia uphold that agreement every day in the mahi we do and strive to create that environment of mutual respect, shared power, and partnership within the communities of the Kerikeri/Bay of Islands district.”
However, recent policy directions from the government, particularly those promoted by the ACT Party, are concerning. These policies, as outlined in our letter, undermine the hard-fought gains made by Māori over decades. They risk eroding the recognition and respect for Te Tiriti o Waitangi and may halt the progress we have made as a hapū. As our Chair so powerfully noted, “These policies and proposed changes will stop any progress we have made and any achievements our tūpuna and rangatira made in their lifetime.”
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia, like many other Māori organisations, stands firm in our opposition to policies that diminish the mana of Te Reo Māori, our culture, and our rights under Te Tiriti. We will continue to advocate for a future where our language, our land, and our people are respected and valued.
Standing Together as Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti
Despite the political challenges of today, we are reminded during Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori of the power of unity. As a nation, we must continue to stand together – Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti – to protect and promote Te Reo Māori. Our tūpuna did not cede their sovereignty; they envisaged a partnership wherein both Māori and Pākehā would thrive within these lands. Today, that partnership includes all who call Aotearoa home, regardless of ethnicity.
Te Reo Māori is not just the responsibility of Māori; it belongs to all of us. We invite everyone, whether you are fluent, a learner, or simply curious, to join us in celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. We must walk this path together, as we have done in the past and will continue to do in the future.
Our Pride as Māori
We are immensely proud of our heritage, our culture, and our language. As we stated in our letter, “Ngāti Rēhia uphold, maintain, and promote our tikanga, our whakapapa, and our reo in everything that we do. It is the source of our mana and cannot be separated from who we are.“
No matter the challenges we face – be they political, social, or economic – our pride as Māori and our commitment to Te Reo will never waver. Te Reo Māori is part of our identity, and no government can take that away.
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori Events with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia
To mark this week’s celebrations, we have organised a series of workshops at the Proctor Library, Kerikeri:
- Waiata Māori – Learn and enjoy traditional Māori songs
- Kēmū Reo Māori – Fund and interactive Māori language games
- Ngā Mahi Toi – Hands-on Māori arts and crafts
These wānanga will take place every day from Monday to Friday, 1.00pm to 2.00pm. Everyone is welcome, from fluent speakers to those just beginning their journey with Te Reo. It’s a time for us to come together, to learn, and to celebrate the beauty and power of our language.
