E rāhiri ana a Te Hōnore Nanaia Mahuta, Te Minita Whanaketanga Māori, i te tīmatanga o te Tau o Ngā Reo Taketake o te Ao.
E rewa ana te Tau o Ngā Reo Taketake o te Ao i tēnei rangi ki New York, e tohu ana i te tīmatanga o tētehi tau whakanui i ngā reo taketake hei whakatairanga, hei manaaki i aua reo.
“Ko te reo Māori tētehi āhuatanga matua o tātou o Aotearoa, otirā, ko te reo te tūāpapa o te ahurea Māori, o te tuakiri Māori anō hoki. Ka tāraihia tō tātou tirohanga me ō tātou wawata mō te hauora e tō tātou ahurea, e tō tātou reo, e tō tātou tuakiri. Kua tae rā ki te wā e tika ana kia kitea tērā ahurei i ngā whāinga me ngā mahi katoa a te Kāwana.
“He āheinga kei roto i te Tau o ngā Reo Taketake o te Ao, ka āhei tātou ki te āta whakaaro mō te whakarauoratanga o te reo, me te whakamarohi i ā tātou mahi whakarauora i te reo Māori, te reo taketake o Aotearoa,” ko tā Nanaia Mahuta.
Ko tētehi whāinga o tēnei tau ko te whakatairanga i te hiranga o ēnei reo taketake me ngā hua ka puta mai i te whakarauora i aua reo, ā, ko tētehi hua ko te whakawhanake i ngā oranga o rātou ngā kaikōrero reo taketake.
I te tau 2016, i whakatauria ko te 40 ōrau o ngā reo katoa o te ao e mate haere ana, ko te nuinga o aua reo he reo taketake.
“Kua mōhiotia kētia i roto i a Aotearoa, he taonga te reo Māori.
“Kua roa te haerenga ki te whakarauora i te reo Māori ki roto i a Aotearoa, arā ko te orokohanga o te Ture mō te Reo Māori, ko te tīmatanga o ngā Kohanga Reo, tae atu rā ki ngā kura kaupapa, ngā wharekura, me te rewanga mai o te reo irirangi Māori me te whakaata Māori.
“Ka whakatakotoria i roto i Te Ture mō te Reo Māori tētehi rangapū i waenganui i te Karauna me te iwi Māori. Ko ngā rautaki e rua e hāngai ana ki tēnei rangapū ko te Maihi Māori me te Maihi Karauna (ākuanei ka rewa atu), ka mahi ngātahi ēnei kia taurikura ai te reo, kia ora ai te reo, ka mutu, kia māhorahora ai te reo, ki ngā wāhi katoa, ki ngā tāngata katoa, i ngā wā katoa.
“Koinei tētehi wahanga o tā tātou tautoko i te whakarauoratanga i ngā reo o te ao, me tā tātou tautoko i ngā iwi taketake katoa me ō rātou haerenga ki te whakarauora i ō rātou ake reo,” ko tā Nanaia Mahuta.
E ārahi ana te United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) i tēnei tau whakahirahira. Kei te hui te United Nations General Assembly ki te rewatanga i New York. I tū tētehi uakitanga i roto i a Paris i te timatanga o tēnei wiki tonu.
Māori Development Minister marks start of indigenous languages year
The Minister of Māori Development, Hon Nanaia Mahuta, welcomes the beginning of the UNESCO International Year of Indigenous Languages.
The International Year of Indigenous Languages is being launched today in New York, signalling the beginning of a year of celebrations to promote and help protect indigenous languages.
“Te reo Māori is an important element of who we are as New Zealanders and the foundation of Māori culture and identity. Our culture, language and identity shapes how we perceive and aspire to wellbeing. The time is right to ensure that this uniqueness is reflected in how this government aspires to, and creates change.
“The UNESCO International Year of Indigenous Languages gives us an opportunity as a country to reflect on and invigorate our efforts in continuing to revitalise te reo Māori, the indigenous language of Aotearoa New Zealand,” said Nanaia Mahuta.
The International Year seeks to raise awareness of the importance of these languages and the contribution their revitalisation can make to improving the lives of those who speak them.
In 2016, it was estimated that 40 percent of the world’s languages are in danger of becoming extinct, and most of the languages at risk are indigenous languages.
“New Zealand already recognises te reo Māori as a taonga.
“Aotearoa New Zealand has had a long journey with Māori language revitalisation with the creation of the Māori Language Act, the inception of Kohanga Reo (early childhood immersion language nests) continuing to Māori immersion education at primary and secondary levels, the emergence of Māori radio and the establishment of Māori TV.
“Te Ture mō te Reo Māori Act 2016 sets out an active partnership approach between the Crown and Māori. The two complementary strategies that give effect to this active partnership – the Maihi Māori and soon to be released Maihi Karauna – will work together to ensure that te reo is a thriving, living language, and a normal part of New Zealand culture and society; everywhere, everyway, by everyone, every day.
“This is part of our contribution to international discussions on language revitalisation and our support for other indigenous peoples on their reo revitalisation journeys,” said Nanaia Mahuta.
The International Year is being led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ). The New York launch includes a High-Level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. A UNESCO launch took place earlier in the week in Paris.
