The second Harry Potter book has been translated into te reo Māori.
Hare Pota me te Pakohu Kura Huna (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) was launched at the Toitū te Reo Māori Festival in Hastings. It follows the first book, Hare Pota me te Whatu Manapou, released five years ago.
The translation is part of the Kotahi Rau Pukapuka project, which aims to publish 100 books in te reo Māori. Pania Papa, who leads the trust, said reading books is a great way to learn the language because it shows how different words work in different situations.
This time, six translators helped bring the story into te reo Māori. They shared their experiences during a panel at the festival. Translator Leon Heketū Blake said the festival helped unite people through te reo, even during difficult times.
The two-day festival also looked at how to protect and grow the Māori language. Dame Hinewehi Mohi spoke about the success of Waiata Anthems, which gets New Zealand artists to sing in te reo. She said music and kapa haka make language learning more exciting for young people.
Broadcaster Mike McRoberts shared his story of learning te reo and said it’s important to stop the fear of making mistakes being passed down through families. Reo advocate Ngarimu Parata compared learning te reo to feeding a child; it’s important to make the language easier to enjoy and understand.
At the end of the festival, founder Jeremy Tātere MacLeod announced a new charitable trust to support the event’s future. He said this new structure will help the festival continue and grow, even with limited funding.
