Māori Language- Enriching Culture, Lives and Mahi
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori
Arron Perriam
Executive Director, CFANZ
17th September 2024
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, or Māori Language Week, celebrates the expression of te reo Māori, an official and indigenous language of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, which started in 1975, supports and encourages the use of te reo in everyday life and work, helping to spark meaningful conversations about cultural identity, diversity, and inclusivity.
I believe a better understanding of te reo avails to us a pathway to connect with the rich cultural history of Māori, building a sense of connection and mutual respect.
I challenge you to consider incorporating even some basic Māori greetings, phrases and tikanga into everyday conversations and activities. Taking this on personally and professionally may have the effect of creating a more inclusive and considered context for our mahi, including your community foundation mahi.
There is a Māori whakatauki (saying) that says, ‘e koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū, meaning ‘the tūī chatters, the kākā cackles and the kererū coos’.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori and the above whakatauki reminds me of the value of embracing the Māori language and cultural diversity as central elements to building stronger community. The Māori voice, and generally a more diverse voice and language promotes a more harmonious, and sweeter sounding tone for a brighter future together for all communities.
Date Posted: 17 Sept 2024
Recent Posts
The last great act of love: why your will matters more than you think
04 Sept 2026
We mark most of life's milestones with ceremony. We marry in front of witnesses. We introduce and confirm our children into religious movements in the presence of community. We farewell our dead with funerals that draw people from across the country. Yet the one document that quietly outlasts all of these events, and speaks for us after we are gone, is too often an afterthought: the will.
Read moreA multi-billion dollar conversation gap - and a simple fix
01 Sept 2026
New Zealand research reveals a multi-billion dollar conversation gap - and a simple fix ...
Read moreMedia Release: New research suggests brighter times ahead for charities from gifts in wills
21 Aug 2026
New research released by Community Foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand (CFANZ) suggests that charitable gifts in wills are of significant interest among New Zealanders who already give to charity, and local charities are set to benefit. The CFANZ survey of over 3,000 New Zealanders across different regions, ages and incomes was carried out by independent research consultancy BERL and found that 52.3% were interested in the idea of leaving a gift in their will to charity, with 17.4% indicating that they have already done so.
Read more