Te reo Māori in homes - 500,000 hours

19 May 2008

Media Release

Te reo Māori in homes - 500,000 hours

“Māori programming has elevated the status, knowledge and use of te reo Māori in homes throughout Aotearoa”, says Huhana Rokx, Chief Executive Officer of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.

Today Te Māngai Pāho, the Māori Broadcasting Authority launches a CD celebrating the funding of 500,000 hours in Māori programming. Te Māngai Pāho was established in 1993 to promote Māori broadcasting.

“Acknowledgement must be made to all those who have paved the way, Ngā Tamatoa and Te Reo Māori Society who petitioned Parliament in 1972 for te reo Māori to be promoted; Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i te Reo who lodged the Te Reo Māori claim in 1985, which led to the advent of Māori radio and the Māori Television Service”, says Huhana.

The first Māori radio station, Te Upoko o te Ika went to air in 1987. New Zealand now has 21 iwi radio stations broadcasting Māori language to the nation enabling Māori language to reach people at home and be a part of every day life.

“In 2004 Māori Television was launched which also has a key role in taking te reo Māori into all homes, making it part of everyday activities and supporting intergenerational language transmission which is a vital aspect of Māori language revitalisation”, says Huhana Rokx.

“A living language is a language spoken everyday in the home and we look to Māori broadcasting to promote the notion of whānau valuing and using as much te reo Māori as they can in their home”, says Huhana Rokx.

“Māori language is a living national taonga for all New Zealanders and is what makes us unique. This year’s Māori Language Week is celebrating Te Reo i te Kāinga, Māori Language in the Home, and 500,000 hours of Māori programming dramatically increases the visibility and presence of te reo Māori in all homes in Aotearoa.”

ENDS

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