What will your Te Reo Town look like this September?  

Following the announcement that Te Reo Towns will be the focus for this year’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, communities across Aotearoa are now invited to take the next step. A community fund is now open and daily themes are unveiled to inspire participation throughout Te Wiki. 

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori runs from 14–20 September 2026.

Community Activation Fund

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and Te Mātāwai are opening the Te Reo Towns Activation Fund from 7–31 July, offering grants of up to $3000 to support launch-day public events on Monday 14 September 2026.

The fund is designed to help communities create visible celebrations of te reo Māori in public spaces and get planning underway early. Funding is limited and groups are encouraged to apply quickly.

Applications are welcomed from councils, iwi, schools, trusts and community organisations, with preference given to collaborations between councils and community groups. Applications close on 31 July 2026.

Proposals will be assessed against criteria including community impact, geographic spread, public visibility, strong planning and alignment with the Te Reo Towns kaupapa and normalisation of te reo Māori. All information is available on reomaori.co.nz.

“The fund is to help communities kick off Te Wiki with a bang! Incredible things are already happening, with parades in planning for Whanganui, Christchurch and Wellington. We want to help more communities bring their ideas into their spaces so everyone can show their love for te reo,” says Ngahiwi Apanui, Chief Executive of Te Taura Whiri.

“Some communities already have strong traditions of hearing and speaking te reo Māori every day. Others are just beginning. Te Reo Towns celebrates both,” says Mātai Smith, Co-Chair of Te Mātāwai.  

Daily Te Wiki themes unveiled

While Te Reo Towns is the overarching focus, for those wanting a little more help on how to plan their week, a theme-per-day has been unveiled.  

Monday starts the week with public celebrations, Tuesday encourages growing language in the home, Wednesday calls on workplaces and schools to normalise te reo, Thursday sees creative use of language in public spaces while other themes of sport, creativity and the future of te reo Māori stretch into the weekend. Full details are on reomaori.co.nz.

“The themes reinforce the core message behind Te Reo Towns – that Māori language has a normal place in everyday life. Whether you're in a major city, a small rural town, a sports club, a workplace or at the dinner table, every community can be a Te Reo Town.

“We want people to encounter te reo Māori in places they might not expect. That's how a language becomes part of everyday life,” says Mātai.  

Communities do not need to start from scratch. Resources, activation ideas and practical tools will be available to help towns and groups participate in ways that reflect their own identity and strengths.

Full details on the fund and daily themes for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2026 are available at reomaori.co.nz. 

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