Every year since 1975 New Zealand has marked Māori Language Week. This is a time for all New Zealanders to celebrate te reo Māori (the Māori language) and to use more Māori phrases in everyday life. In 2015 Māori Language Week is from 27 July-2 August; the theme is ‘Whāngaihia te reo Māori ki ngā mātua’: helping parents to pass te reo on to their children. This is part of the underlying theme of Māori Language Week, ‘Arohatia te Reo – cherish the language’.
Te reo Māori is undergoing a resurgence and more people speak the language. There are Māori-language schools, Māori radio stations, and a Māori television channel. There was a time when some people objected to hearing Māori greetings such as ‘Kia ora’. The campaign to revive the language has been a long one.
