This week marks 35 years since Te Reo Māori was recognised as an official language of New Zealand. Christine Fokkens shares her journey learning the language.

Tēna~koutou ki ngā maunga i tū mai rā

Tēna~koutou ki ngā awa i rere mai rā

Tēna~koutou ki ngā waka i kawe mai rā

Tēna~koutou ki ngā iwi i rangatira mai rā

Tēna~koutou ki a koutou, tōku whānau i Te Karaiti

Tenā koutou katoa

Nō Kotirana, nō Ingarangi, nō Aerana ōku tīpuna

Kei Kawatiri tōku ngākau te whenua tipu o ōku mātua

heoi, i tipu ake au i te kōruru o te maunga Aoraki

Ko pākehā tōku iwi, heoi he ngākau nui o aroha ki tēnei whenua nei

Ko kaiako kōhungahunga tāku mahi

E ono ngā tau kua ako au i te reo Māori. E akō tonu ana au.

Ko Christine tōku ingoa

Greetings to you, and to all your ancestry represented here today.

My name is Christine, and my ancestry connects to Scotland, England and Ireland. I am of pakeha descent, and I have studied Te Reo Māori for about 6 years now. 

I began to learn Te Reo Māori to learn some more language for my work as an Early Childhood teacher. But throughout my study what I gained was so much more than simply some more Te Reo words to add to my work. 

Learning language is woven together with learning about culture. In learning Te Reo Māori I also learnt about myself, this land that I call home and the way that I want  to value its people.

I have gained a greater understanding of the connection and story of Māori people to this land, and our shared history, both the good and the hard within the journey.

Learning Te Reo Māori can be challenging, it takes time, commitment and energy, so why do I continue this learning? Well, because I love this land that I live in, and my small steps towards recognising, respecting, honouring and understanding the significance of Māori in Aotearoa through learning Te Reo Māori lets me show this in a real and tangible way. As a new Zealander I want to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi, as a Christian I want to love my neighbour and for me both these kaupapa have been strengthened as I learn.

The invisible threads which bind us together as people are strengthened when we understand each other.

He aha te mea nui o te Ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.

What is the most important thing of the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

Mā te ngākau aroha koe e ārahi.   Let a loving heart guide your decisions.

No reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa