Stories from Tōku Anō Reo Māori: My Very Own Language

For Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022, we’re sharing stories by our Pouako of their journeys and sometimes the struggles they faced to maintain te reo Māori in their lives. The common thread is a love of te reo Māori and a strong desire to maintain the mana of te reo Māori and ensure its survival for future generations; a treasure to be shared and supported to grow. 

We want to encourage te reo Māori to be spoken in a natural and spontaneous way by students, teachers, members and colleagues associated with Te Rito Maioha. Some of the articles present challenges, but they also advise not to be afraid to make mistakes, to try to use te reo Māori whenever they can, and to engage with te reo Māori in all environments. 

• Apapera Card - Ko tōku reo, ko tōku ao | My language is my world
• Geraldine Koopu - A default language and culture prioritised over one's own heritage language and culture
• Lisa Heke - He Māori ahau | I am Māori
• Mero Irihapeti Rokx - The whakapapa of my Reo
• Rotu Mihaka - Growing up learning te Reo Māori me ōna tikanga

You can find more of these stories in our free downloadable book Tōku Anō Reo Māori: My Very Own Language.