Ake, ake, ake – A Forever Language
Te Hiringa Mahara is proud to support Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori 2024 and the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori. Evidence shows that whānau flourish in environments where tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori are expressed freely, te reo Māori is adopted widely from infancy, and culture and language are shared and embraced across the generations.
Strong cultural identity is related to te reo Māori proficiency. Cultural identity is a protective factor for improved mental health and wellbeing for Māori. Our previous population wellbeing assessment shows that Māori adults believe that te reo Māori is imporant in daily life, and over half of all New Zealanders agree te reo Māori should be taught in primary school. These findings are further supported by our recent wellbeing assessment showing that support for te reo Māori is high among Māori and is increasing among non-Māori.
Our work on wellbeing for rangatahi and young people highlighted that, amongst other factors, connection to whānau and culture develops cultural resilience, which is integral to wellbeing and needs to be supported and fostered.
To learn how you can support te reo Māori, visit reomāori.co.nz . You can also read through reports on our website that highlight the benefits of te reo Māori in supporting wellbeing, see Mairangatia te hauora hinengaro me te toiora Māori | Advancing Māori mental health and wellbeing.
Kia kaha te reo Māori - Let’s make the Māori language strong!
Te Reo Māori is a factor in wellbeing
In July 2024 we published the Assessment of Youth and rangatahi wellbeing and access to services infographic. This shows how the link between culture and wellbeing.
NCEA level 2 achievement was higher for Māori who attended kura kaupapa. Accessing te ao Māori including learning te reo Māori at kura kaupapa is a source of strength and achievement for young Māori learners.
Fewer Māori achieved qualifications at NCEA level 2 or above but NCEA level 2 achievement was higher for Māori who attended kura kaupapa. Across all ethnicities and school types, NCEA level 2 achievement trended downwards in 2021 and 2022.
