Race relations commissioner calls for compulsory te reo Māori in schools

Saturday, 5 February 2022

'Give no voice to racism' is the slogan of a campaign launched by the Human Rights Commission late last year.

Race relations commissioner and life-long te reo Māori student Meng Foon has called for a five-year strategy for te reo Māori to be incorporated in schools as a core subject.

Learning and advocating for te reo Māori his whole life, Foon says he recognises its value for Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Te reo Māori has helped me build relationships within the communities I try to serve, and it has also assisted in connecting many diverse cultures and Māori.”

The commissioner wrote to Education Minister Chris Hipkins, party leaders and others with vested interests in Māori affairs across Parliament at the end of 2021 to make his concerns known. He wrote that the normalisation of te reo Māori would help address issues around Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the destructive effects of colonisation and structural racism by building empathy, understanding and ultimately allyship.

Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon wants te reo Māori championed in schools..

Ngahiwi Apanui, the tumuaki (chief executive) of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission).

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Te Taura Whiri chief executive Ngahiwi Apanui supports Foon and his stance on te reo in schools.

“We need a game changer because if we stay the way we are, the modelling shows us that we will only gain an extra 75,000 speakers by 2040. Making te reo a core subject is something we strongly support.”

He waka eke noa – we’re all in this together: Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon

As tumuaki of the Māori Language Commission, Apanui recognises that the country must first come to a place of acceptance.

“We know some policies are working really well. The survival and revitalisation of our Māori language is a marathon, it’s not a sprint. Whether we use compulsion, or influence – or perhaps a combination of both – the battle for te reo Māori must first be won in our hearts and minds.”

Foon underlined that Te Tiriti responsibilities require the protection of taonga Māori, which includes te reo. He says the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples also includes the right to revitalise, use and develop language for future generations.

Deputy principal of Rotorua Girls’ High School Aramoana Mohi-Maxwell has long treated te reo Māori as a core subject and was “already aware of the value in te reo Māori”.

Te Akatea (NZ Māori Principals Association) president Bruce Jepsen says, “Making te reo compulsory at school means using our own language to connect back to who we are.”

Teaching in the first reorua, or bilingual, city in Aotearoa, Mohi-Maxwell realised that to get kids engaged, teachers must be just as committed.

“To get the kids excited you need to bring the learning to life through experiences relevant to their world. Getting their name right, making sure you pronounce their street names correctly and giving mana to the whenua they come from.”

Foon hopes to continue discussions with parliamentarians on how to implement te reo Māori as a core subject up to at least Year 10. He says prioritising the language along with New Zealand’s history will help race relations in Aotearoa.

“It is all about building a socially cohesive country where everyone is on the same page and unified in our approach to indigenous culture.”

Jepsen says that with te reo Māori gaining more significance, more Māori language teachers could be encouraged back into the classroom.

Te Akatea (NZ Māori Principals Association) president Bruce Jepsen is an outspoken supporter of te reo Māori. As tumuaki for Te Akau ki Pāpāmoa in Tauranga, Jepsen believes te reo Māori should hold its own place in school curriculum.

“Making te reo compulsory at school means using our own language to connect back to who we are. I didn’t learn Māori growing up, but this doesn’t have to be the case for the next generation. I want to see and hear my moko [grandchildren] kōrero Māori.”

Foon believes there is appetite for such an approach to te reo with learning institutions full of both Māori and non-Māori wanting to learn the language.

Jepsen can attest to this. Te Akau ki Pāpāmoa school has been immersing their children in te reo Māori alongside the help of mana whenua, Ngā Potiki, for the past 10 years.

“We don’t use the word compulsory. We just include te reo in our daily lessons and the kids love it. I don’t ‘consult’ with mana whenua either. We hui and we wānanga instead. I ask them what values they want to instil in their kids, and then we work through every step together.”

Foon says while he understands the Government is working towards strengthening Māori education, he believes its strategy lacks teeth in terms of tangible and urgent action.

He also understands that resourcing and te reo Māori teaching stock are issues, but he says if action is undertaken now and barriers are removed, over the next five years that could be overcome.

“We have a generation of Māori speakers coming through – the talent pool is there – we just have to make teaching a more attractive proposition.”

Jepsen believes that could happen now that there’s more significance being put on te reo.

“There haven’t been any te reo Māori teachers because there’s never been an emphasis on te reo Māori. Legislation and attitude will change this.”

Mohi-Maxwell calls on teachers to understand that everyone is on a learning journey and there are always chances to grow.

“It’s about normalising as much reo as you have. That sometimes means teachers are learning from the students. It’s recognising where we are on our te reo journey and how we can make ourselves better.”

Both Mohi-Maxwell and Jepsen encourage reo learners to “kia kaha” (be strong) and remember that it is a collective journey with support waiting at every step.