7th Polynesian Languages Conference Language in the Homeland 30 June - 3 July 2003 Wellington, New Zealand

Polynesian Languages Conference

Read the press release.

There is a growing awareness about language amongst Māori and Pacific Island peoples in Aotearoa. The importance of language in expressing cultural identity, maintaining integrity and ensuring viability as a community is becoming evident.

The Māori language renaissance has played a leading role in language regeneration. Much can be gained by the sharing of best practice models, networking and strategic alignment.

A different country has hosted the Polynesian Languages Forum each time. The 7th conference of the members of the Polynesian Languages Forum will take place in Aotearoa on 30 June 2003.

This year's theme is "Te Reo i te Whenua tipu" - "Language in the Homeland".

Background to the Polynesian Languages Forum

Polynesian Languages Forum

The idea to establish a forum arose after concern was shown by a number of the Polynesian language groups resident in New Zealand (other than Māori) for the plight of their languages and the fact that issues relating to the demise of the Māori language also applied to those languages and to those groups resident in their own nations. As a consequence, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) decided to call representatives of the Polynesian nations together to discuss those issues and to discuss the formation of a permanent group. As a consequence, at a meeting hosted by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori in Hamilton, New Zealand from 21-23 February 1991, the Polynesian Languages Forum was established.

The Forum includes the following member nations:

The aims of the Forum are:

1. to share the ideas and information about ways in which our respective languages, in both their written and their spoken forms, can be better maintained and promoted in the home, in education, in the media, in the public service, in the law and in everyday life;
2. to share and exchange new words created in our respective languages, through the maintenance of a common database and in other ways;
3. to share and exchange ideas, information and experiences about the methods of expanding vocabularies, including the retrieval of words no longer used and coining of the new terms;
4. to share and exchange information and experiences about the methods of learning and teaching in our respective languages;
5. to share and exchange ideas, information and experiences about producing teaching and learning materials, such as books, posters, videos and computer software, and to facilitate the adoption of such materials for use in each other's languages;
6. to promote the objects of the Forum to member nations governments;
7. to keep the governments of member nations informed of the state of their Polynesian languages.

The Forum has met on six occasions since its establishment meeting in Aotearoa in 1991. These have been:

Events open to the public

30 June 2003, 7.00pm
Rangatahi Debates
Council Chambers at Victoria University
Wellington

1 July 2003, 7.00pm
Screening of the Merchant of Venice, (Māori version with English subtitles)
Soundings Theatre, Te Papa
Wellington

3 July 2003, 8.00pm
Pōwhakangahau - social evening
Student Union Building at Victoria University
Wellington

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