Story: Te reo Māori – the Māori language

Māori Language Act 1987

This clip from Te karere highlights the passage of the Māori Language Act 1987. The item notes that there were three main parts of the act: to make te reo Māori an official language, to allow te reo to be used in legal proceedings and to establish the Māori Language Commission (Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori) to advocate for te reo. Minister for Māori Affairs Koro Wetere notes that the chiefly language of the ancestors, te reo Māori, has had its mana recognised in New Zealand. He also refers to the founding commissioners of the Māori Language Commission, Timoti Karetu, Katerina Mataira, Anita Moke, Kingi Matutaera Ihaka and Ray Harlow.

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How to cite this page:

Rawinia Higgins and Basil Keane, 'Te reo Māori – the Māori language - The Māori language', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/41059/maori-language-act-1987 (accessed 23 April 2024)

Story by Rawinia Higgins and Basil Keane, published 5 Sep 2013, updated 1 Sep 2015