Māori Language Week

Māori Language Week, or Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, began in the 1970s amid growing concern about the decline of te reo Māori, the Indigenous language of Aotearoa New Zealand. After the presentation of the Māori Language Petition to Parliament in 1972, which called for Māori-language teaching in schools, Māori organizations and student groups promoted a national observance to raise awareness and encourage language learning. The first Māori Language Week was held in 1975, establishing an annual period dedicated to celebrating and strengthening te reo Māori.

The observance developed alongside wider Māori cultural and political revitalization movements. The creation of kōhanga reo in the early 1980s and kura kaupapa Māori in the following years provided Māori-medium education for children and helped restore intergenerational language transmission. Legal recognition also marked an important change: the Māori Language Act 1987 recognized te reo Māori as an official language of New Zealand and established the Māori Language Commission, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, to support its development and use.

Over time, Māori Language Week expanded from an awareness campaign into a broad national celebration involving schools, workplaces, public institutions, broadcasters, businesses, and communities. It is observed during a week in September, with activities such as waiata, storytelling, language challenges, public performances, lessons, and the use of everyday Māori vocabulary. Campaigns have increasingly emphasized that te reo Māori belongs in ordinary public and private life, rather than being limited to ceremonial settings.

The week has deep cultural significance because language is closely connected with Māori identity, whakapapa, whenua, mātauranga, and relationships. Supporting te reo Māori is therefore not simply an educational exercise; it contributes to the survival and visibility of Māori culture and acknowledges the language’s place in the national life of Aotearoa New Zealand. Its continuing evolution reflects a shift from preservation in the face of serious decline toward active normalization, with speakers and learners encouraged to use te reo Māori confidently throughout the year.