- Above: The Governor-General, Lt Gen Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Christine Watson
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Hinemoa Baker
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Lucy Balfour
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Michael Houlihan
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Michelle Hippolite
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Monty Soutar
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Paul Matthews
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Rio Hunuki-Hemopo
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
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.
The dates for Māori Language Week 2012 are 23-29 July. Arohatia te Reo is the theme for Māori Language Week 2012. Arohatia te Reo, means to cherish the language and this year it is intended to encourage all people to demonstrate their love and regard for the language. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you do, we encourage the whole nation to find a way to express how and in what ways they use, honour, speak and thereby show their love for the language.
To celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2012, we've asked people to share with us their favourite kupu (word) in te reo Māori. You can view their responses in the above photo gallery.
Manatū Taonga/Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s team of historians and writers create New Zealand historical content all year round on the websites www.nzhistory.net.nz, www.teara.govt.nz, www.28maoribattalion.org.nz, and www.vietnamwar.govt.nz.
If you need to know some of the most useful and common Māori words check out NZHistory’s ‘One hundred words every New Zealander should know’ feature: introduce yourself to a new Māori word a day during Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori here: or test your Māori knowledge with NZHistory’s Māori language quiz here.
