Learning te reo Maori locally - support groups flourish
• May 15, 2024
Local Libraries are a great for people to learn te reo Māori without cost. Photo by Quinn Plunkett.
Support groups are springing up to help confidence in learning te reo Māori whether in the local library or via Facebook groups.
And organisers say they are an important part of revitalising the language.
Arapine K Walker first started Live and Learn Te Reo Māori as a Facebook group two years ago, when she found many people felt insecure about practising their te reo.
Live and learn te reo Māori is an online Facebook group that supports people at all levels of learning.
“Confidence is about having that community of speakers to practice with and on, so if you don't have that community, you're not going to be able to build that confidence quickly.”
Walker believes that the government has made great progress in Māori language revitalisation. However, having a community of learners who can encourage each other, can help individuals on their reo journey.
“I think that one of the important things that nobody tells you about learning te reo Māori is if you have no one to speak to...you will not be able to retain and develop your language.”
Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) focuses on things that can’t be done as an individual, such as working with businesses to promote te reo Māori.
Other local community groups have taken the learning off-line, preferring to meet in-person to practice te reo.
Sybille Hetet, a member of Kapa Kōrero at Grey Lynn library, says she’s come “quite a long way” since beginning to learn te reo, thanks especially to talking to other people like her.
“This is really the only place where I can actually speak in person, because in the course you learn grammar, you learn waiata.
"You learn all sorts of things, but you don't necessarily learn how to speak.”
The Government goal is for one million people to speak te reo fluently before 2040.
Universities such as Auckland University Technology (AUT) run te reo Māori courses that are fees free, however students are still required to pay a Students Service Levy of $143.27, which is beyond the pockets of many potential learners.
For free te reo Māori learning, there are many online courses and local groups such as Live and Learn Te Reo Māori, and Kapa Kōrero that have now become available in many communities across Aotearoa.
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