Te Reo Symposium a huge success
Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated is overwhelmed at the huge success of our fifth language revitalisation symposium, Te Reo ki Tua which was started in 2016 with a humble 300 attendees and has since grown to the nation’s largest national hui of its type with over 1100 attendees this year. The symposium was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the global pandemic. This year we saw attendees descend upon Ngāti Kahungunu from across the nation.
This symposium enlists some of the worlds’ greatest language exponents. They come from all facets of the language revival world. The theme this year’s symposium was ‘Kua huri te tai! – The tide has turned!’. Since the inception of the Ngāti Kahungunu Māori language revitalisation journey in 2006, this region has seen a huge growth of the language. Initiatives like Te Reo ki Tua help inspire language advocates and champions to ensure that they are energised to continue fighting for the survival of the language.
This month Aotearoa recalled the 1972 delivery of the Māori language petition to the steps of Parliament. This was a turning point in our nation’s history where those brave champions brought the language back from the brink of extinction.
Dr. Jeremy Tātere MacLeod commented: “It warms my heart to see so many people in the same room united in thought and aspiration to see our language normalised again in Aotearoa. 8 out of 10 New Zealanders support our plight, a sign of a nation that has transformed.”
Te Reo ki Tua is one of the nation’s biggest Māori language events. It was an honour for us to host it in this region, may we continue to embrace and support the revitalisation of the first language of the land – te reo Māori.
Various pictures taken at the two day event.
Mana Ake