Connecting Generations and Shaping the Future of te Reo at Te Matatini

Hundreds of whānau Māori at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga, shared their beautiful moemoeā for te reo Māori at our Te Mātāwai stall in Ngāmotu from 26 –28 February.

Te Mātāwai was a proud sponsor of the nation’s biggest kapa haka event which also showcases te reo Māori and our culture to Māori communities and wider Aotearoa.

Te Mātāwai ran a stall to promote our te reo Māori strategic vision, Hawaiki Mokopuna. We did this through a colouring-in competition for tamariki, and an activity where we asked rangatahi, pakeke and kaumātua to share their aspirations for te reo Māori.

Both activities ensured the inclusion of multiple generations which aligned to our visions’ two priority outcomes – Tukuihotanga (intergenerational transmission) and hononga hapori reo (connected Māori language communities). 

Our kaimahi thoroughly enjoyed engaging with whānau about what Hawaiki Mokopuna would look and feel like to them. One māmā shared with us that Hawaiki Mokopuna should “be a space for future tamariki to feel safe, proud and honoured to carry their reo with confidence.” Another pakeke hopes to reach Hawaiki Mokopuna and witness “the use of te reo Māori in communities and daily life as much as it is used in formal settings.”

Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga, Kāhui Tupua, Kāhui Wairua, Kāhui Mokopuna – tēnei Te Mātāwai e mihi nei, e aroha atu nei.