Porirua is celebrating te reo Māori next week with a vibrant programme of events that share the rich culture of our Māori heritage.

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is an annual celebration for all New Zealanders to show their support for the Māori language, an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand. This year it runs from 14-21 o Hepetema (September).

The theme for 2024 is ‘Ake ake ake - A forever language’. It represents the resilience, adaptability and endurance of the language and reflects the commitment New Zealanders have to embracing and learning te reo Māori into the future.

Events in Porirua include a flag raising ceremony, sale of Akeake seedlings, weaving putiputi, stories at the library, music, a craft market and more.

Details of all events can be found on our website www.poriruacity.govt.nz

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says te reo Māori is important to our city not just this week, but always.

"We’re proud of Porirua’s culture and our close relationship with mana whenua Ngāti Toa. Languages only thrive when we speak and embrace them, so even if you’re not a confident te reo speaker I urge you to give it a go this week.

"Tēnā honoa kia mātou ki te whakanuia Te Wiki o te Reo Māori - please join us to celebrate Māori Language Week".

Find out more here about our partnership with Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Māori culture in Porirua.

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