Kaimahi return to Taiwan to share language insights
Te Mātāwai kaimahi made a return to Taiwan to present at the Austronesian Languages Revitalization Forum to share their experience on te reo Māori revitalisation.
Teina Boasa-Dean (Te Mātāwai Board member), Ria Tomoana (Chief Advisor) and Nate Brabender (Investment Manager) were invited back to Taiwan for a second year. This time they spoke on the topic, ‘Policies and measures for creating a language friendly environment’.
Researchers and officials from the Marshall Islands, Canada, Aotearoa, Pacific Islands and Taiwan all came together to share insights and knowledge on reviving their languages.
Te Mātāwai Chief Advisor Ria Tomoana says that although Aotearoa is decades ahead in terms of language revitalisation, there is still a lot we can learn from Taiwan, which has 42 different languages and 17 peoples.
“Indigenous people around the world have a depth of compassion and patience that is special to us as people,” says Ria.
Other highlights from the five-day trip were visiting our hosts, the Indigenous Language Research and Development Foundation to share knowledge, attending a local radio and TV station to record a jingle and having an initial hui with our Taiwan counterparts to further deepen two countries relationship.
“It was amazing to go back and see the people that we had met. The connection is so strong it shortens the distance between us,” Ria says.