Māori is the indigenous language of New Zealand and has been spoken here for approximately 1,000 years. It is also a modern language, spoken now by over 130,000 people of all ages on a daily basis. The language is most commonly used in Māori homes, at marae, and at Māori language pre-schools and primary schools, although it can be heard (and seen in writing!) in a range of other settings.
Furthermore, the Māori language is part of our cultural heritage as New Zealanders. We all use the Māori language to describe the environment around us and the world that we live in. There are several hundred Māori words in regular use in the ordinary speech of all New Zealanders. The most common examples include place-names, and the names of animal and plant life, including;
| Kiwi |
Tōtara |
Taupō |
| Weka |
Rata |
Waikato |
| Pūkeko |
Kauri |
Wai-rarapa |
| Kakapo |
Mānuka |
Porirua |
We also use the Māori language to identify ourselves as New Zealanders on the world stage, with unofficial national anthems like Pōkarekare Ana and Ka mate Ka mate (the All Black haka).
The Māori Language Commission is charged with the task of promoting the Māori language to all New Zealanders, and encouraging its use as widely as possible. This is something that we consider to be very important, and we are seeking your help to promote our language to future generations of New Zealanders as a normal part of the cultural landscape of New Zealand.
With our help, we hope to show our children how they can contribute to the growth of the Māori language as a living language, and as a part of New Zealand's cultural landscape by developing and promoting positive attitudes to our indigenous language.
