Reflecting on this year’s Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori conjures a range of thoughts and emotions. It is a reminder of language degradation and cultural loss, which stirs up grief passed down from one generation of Māori to another. It also offers the potential for renewal and an opportunity to have conversations about why language is so important for cultural restoration. Nelson Mandela once wrote, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” Many things can be interpreted from this quote. I understood it to mean that a person’s goodness can shine through their words if efforts are made to truly understand what the other person needs to hear. If this resonates with you, consider what it may mean to speak even a few basic phrases in te reo to the people who need and want to hear them. It won’t fix the damage that has been done, but in speaking the language of our tūpuna your intentions and respect for us will shine through.
Ngā mihi nui, from a wahine Māori on the journey to cultural reclamation.
Illustration: Jess from Maori_mermaid.