The revitalisation of the Māori language began during the 1970s. By then, few Māori families spoke Māori, and there were fears that it was in danger of dying out as an everyday language.
This led to the development of initiatives such as Te Kohanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Māori and Te Ataarangi. By the mid-1980s, the focus has widened to include Māori broadcasting, which eventually led to the establishment of the Māori Broadcasting Funding Agency, Te Māngai Pāho, and the current network of iwi radio stations.
Māori was made an official language of New Zealand in 1987 and at the same time the Māori Language Commission (Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori) was set up to support the growth of the Māori language.
Developments since then include setting up the Māori Television Service in 2003. It now screens about eight hours a day of free-to-air Māori language and cultural programming, and is watched by about 62% of Māori. The second Māori Television channel, Te Reo, was launched on 28 March 2008, and will initially broadcast 3 hours per day, totally in te reo Māori on Sky Channel 59.
By 2001 the number of Māori speakers had stabilised at around 130,000, or 25% of the Māori population. According to the Māori Language Survey carried out for Te Puni Kōkiri in 2006, 27% of Māori now say they can speak the language very well, well or fairly well. Around 40% can understand or read it.
Attitudes towards the Māori language have also changed. Attitudes Toward the Māori Language, a survey carried out for Te Puni Kōkiri in 2006, found that support for the use of the Māori language in public places or at work has increased significantly since 2000, both among Māori and non-Māori. Significantly more people also believe the Government should encourage the use of Māori in everyday situations.
Fact Sheet - The Māori Language Survey. 2007.Survey on The Health of the Maori Language Final Report. 2006.Survey of Attitudes, Values and Beliefs about the Māori Language 2003. Published 2006.
Te Puni Kōkiri is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Māori Language Strategy.
This was revised in 2003, and sets out what needs to be done to meet the Strategy’s main vision – that by 2028 the Māori language will be widely spoken by Māori within their whānau, homes and communities.
The Māori Language Strategy has five main goals. They are:
Te Puni Kōkiri works with several other agencies and government departments to implement the Strategy. These include the Māori Language Commission (Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori), Te Māngai Pāho, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage and the National Library of New Zealand.
Te Puni Kōkiri also helps organise Māori Language Week/Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, which is held each year in July.
Kei Roto i te Whare / Māori Language in the Home. Reprinted 2008.Te Rautaki Reo Māori = Māori Language Strategy. 2003.
Māori Language CommissionTe Māngai PāhoTe Kohanga Reo
Last modified: 21/07/2008