Use of te reo by the national broadcaster has come under fire this week from leading New Zealand thinkers including Dave Witherow, Don Brash and John Drinnan. The debate shows how far we have come as a nation – and how far we still have to go, writes RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson. RNZ’s small but significant … Read more
Nadine Millar writes a love letter to her beloved Porirua, and asks ‘What’s in a name?’ A few years ago, in 1994, a local businessman started an unsuccessful campaign to change the name of Porirua. Chris Gollins, a real estate consultant and media personality, felt that businesses were put off coming to the city because they baulked … Read more
Graham Cameron proposes reasons for learning a language that have nothing to do with business. Ni hao! It’s Chinese Language Week. There has been some attempt in our local media to wrap their lips around the unfamiliar sounds of Mandarin, a few pieces about the local Chinese community, but mostly pieces about the importance of business … Read more
Choosing to relegate te reo into a group of languages is an insulting breach of treaty obligations, revealing a serious lack of commitment to the revitalisation of the language, argues Graham Cameron. Among the key messages the National Party wanted to highlight from their 2017 election campaign launch was their proposed education policy package. The … Read more
If he gets his way, Rei will be a name you’ll be hearing a lot more often. Hussein Moses sits down with the up-and-coming New Zealand artist to talk about his new album and how he’s working to bring te reo outside of the classroom and into the world. Whether it’s the message he’s trying … Read more
It’s easy to dismiss a stray look or comment as simple rudeness, but often it’s more than that. Philip McKibbin (Ngāi Tahu) argues that casual racism is both endemic and more damaging than we give it credit. I keep thinking about the wink the bartender gave me. I didn’t know then that he had just insulted my … Read more
The usual defence of stories about Pākehā enraged by Māori ‘uppitiness’ is that the media are simply reporting people’s views. And that’s bollocks, says Aaron Smale. If you drive down the new expressway on the Kapiti Coast towards Wellington, when you get near Waikanae there is a slight bend. On the left a large concrete wall … Read more
I only started studying te reo at Te Ataarangi this year, but I knew straight away that there was something different about it – and not just the fact that we use cuisenaire rods instead of pen and paper, writes Nadine Millar. Shame is one of the biggest barriers many of us face in learning … Read more
The arguments for compulsory Māori language classes in schools are compelling, yet some insist it means the sky is falling, writes Don Rowe. Less than eight months out from the first post-Teflon-John election, the Green Party has placed te reo Māori at the centre of their campaign, calling for compulsory inclusion in schools. The plan, which would … Read more