Celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2024

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori holds a special place in our hearts. Each year, we embrace this week as an opportunity to celebrate and honor our reo, our language, which is the heartbeat of our identity and the thread that binds our whakapapa. It’s a time to reaffirm our commitment to revitalising Te Reo Māori and to create spaces where it flourishes for our rangatahi and future generations.

This year, our celebrations involved t-shirt printing, where everyone got to personalize their tees with vibrant designs and affirming messages in Te Reo Māori. It was a powerful way to carry our language on our chests and wear our pride for all to see.

Of course, no celebration would be complete without kai! A trusty sausage sizzle that became a focal point for whānau and friends to gather, share stories, and connect. Breaking bread together, sharing laughs, and enjoying good food remind us of the warmth and manaakitanga central to our culture.

Lastly, waiata, singing our waiata brought a sense of unity and deep pride as we raised our voices in celebration of Te Reo Māori. Waiata has a way of reaching into our souls, connecting us with our tīpuna, and inspiring our tamariki to carry the torch forward.

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is about more than just celebrating language; it’s about strengthening the foundation of who we are. It’s about giving our rangatahi the chance to embrace our culture, to see Te Reo Māori as an essential part of their lives, and to take pride in carrying it forward. We want our language to be a normal, everyday part of our world—not just during this week but in every interaction, every conversation, every celebration.

This week has reminded us all at Te Hono O Ngā Waka that our reo is a living treasure, and through celebrations like these, we are ensuring its survival and growth for generations to come.