As Tāngata Tiriti, our commitment to building our reo Māori is an everyday thing. The trick has been to build te reo into our daily routines. We’ve landed on three ways that work for us
- During Tū Mai (our daily stand-ups) we check in on each other and our work for the day using te reo Māori. We initially greeted each other in Māori, then added phrases like ‘how are you?’ and eventually included vocabulary to cover the work we are doing. A set of phrases and responses help us piece everything together. Practicing each day builds our confidence in a safe and supportive space.
- Whakahua Kupu: Each month we select two new Māori words and practice their pronunciation. Once a week, we play the pronunciation from the Te Aka Māori Dictionary during Tū Mai and practice saying them aloud together.
- He Wāhi: Each week, one of us shares the history and significance of a place name in Aotearoa, deepening our knowledge and connection to the land.
While te reo is unique to Aotearoa, it’s also no different to any other language in that you have to practise, practise, practise.
I orea te tuatara ka patu ki waho: A problem is solved by continuing to find.
Kia kaha te reo Māori!