The bilingual kura school signs project, led by Te Mātāwai and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, has won an Australasian award for engagement.
The project won the International Association for Public Participation (Iap2) Australasia Core Values Award for Indigenous Engagement at a ceremony in Brisbane, Australia on Wednesday 25 October.
The award recognises the 2022 engagement process that paved the way for several different types of Kura School signs to be put on state highways and local roads across Aotearoa New Zealand.
The project involved extensive engagement with Māori communities, language experts, road controlling authorities, industry and other stakeholders to develop and implement bilingual school signs. Through Te Mātāwai, local iwi and hapū language champions provided their views.
Te Mātāwai Board Co-Chair Reikura Kahi said the project was a great example of how partnership can increase community participation and lead to language revitalisation where communities live.
“By involving Māori communities in the design and consultation of the bilingual kura school signs, we have ensured that the signs reflect their values, preferences, and aspirations. We have also created an opportunity for more New Zealanders to see and speak te reo Māori in their everyday lives.”
The kura school sign public consultation process resulted in 90% of people who submitted being in favour of the signs.
Waka Kotahi, General Manager Systems Leadership, Chris Bunny, said Māori led involvement was crucial.
“I would like to mihi to Te Mātāwai and their regional boards, because without their leadership and foresight we would not have been able to connect with te reo Māori language champions and enable them to share their views on their taonga, te reo Māori,”
“Working alongside our safety and regulatory experts we enabled signs that we know are safe and will lead to New Zealanders seeing and interacting with te reo Māori on the transport network across Aotearoa New Zealand.”
The IAP2 Australasia Core Values Awards recognise and encourage projects and organisations that are at the forefront of public participation and community engagement. The judges praised the bilingual kura school signs project for its innovative and inclusive approach to engaging with Māori and promoting te reo Māori as a living.
