In the last 200 years the history of the Māori language (te reo Māori) has been one of ups and downs. At the beginning of the 19th century it was the predominant language spoken in Aotearoa/New Zealand. As more English speakers arrived in New Zealand, the Māori language was increasingly confined to Māori communities. By the mid-20th century there were concerns that the language was dying out.  As these articles below from the 1950s state, "Few issues concern the modern Maori more than that the country at large should show an interest in and a respect for his language."

In 1972, three groups, Auckland-based Ngā Tamatoa (The Young Warriors), Victoria University’s Te Reo Māori Society, and Te Huinga Rangatahi (the New Zealand Māori Students’ Association) petitioned Parliament to promote the language. A Māori language day introduced that year became Māori language week in 1975. Three years later, New Zealand’s first officially bilingual school opened at Rūātoki in the Urewera. The first Māori-owned Māori-language radio station (Te Reo-o-Pōneke) went on air in 1983. 

The Māori Language Act 1987 made Māori an official language and set up Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Commission. 

Here are some posters from Te Wiki o te Reo Māori's history.

Over the years, various methods and technologies have been used to teach te reo Māori. Here are some examples below:

Here are some language learning resources to help you for Māori Language Week 2018.

Find inspiration from the stories of these New Zealanders and their journey in te reo Māori.

Listen to these well known New Zealand artists talking about the use of te reo in their work.

Parades and community events are great ways to support  Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.

Libraries and museums are great supporters and celebrators of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Here are some examples of activities in libraries and other communities organisations that celebrate Māori Language Week.

Part of the  opening paragraphs of this story are taken from  'History of the Māori language', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/history-of-the-maori-language, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 10-Oct-2017 

TE WIKI O TE REO Māori 2018

Six parades were held during Te Wiki o te  Reo Māori 2018 to celebrate te reo Māori. Kaumātua, nohinohi mai i tae ki te whakanui i te reo Māori.  Information came out stating that over 50% of New Zealanders supported te reo in all schools. Although the word compulsory is being avoided by many Māori leaders it seems other New Zealanders are not so coy to state that they support compulsory reo in schools, ka mau te wehi!   It may be needed if we are indeed aiming to have a million speakers of te reo by 2040.  But wouldn't that be fantastic bringing te reo back from the brink of extinction, you go New Zealand, Kia Kaha te Reo Māori.