Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Tēnā koutou katoa, greetings to you all.
Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that indigenous peoples have the right to revitalise, use, develop and transmit to future generations their languages, oral traditions, writing systems and literatures.
Indigenous languages are critical to the identities of indigenous peoples, preserving traditions, practices and history. It is also a way for indigenous peoples to express self-determination and advance, reinforce and develop cultural knowledge.
Te reo Māori is the indigenous language of New Zealand. In New Zealand, 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the Māori Language Petition which led to the establishment of the Māori Language Commission, schools and early learning services where te reo Māori is the primary medium of instruction, and a range of national, community and iwi and Māori-led initiatives.
We now focus on the path to 2040, when we will commemorate 200 years since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi), which provides the partnership framework to foster the mutual benefits of language revitalisation.
The Māori Language Act 2016 enshrines this framework in New Zealand and sets out two strategies guided by a partnership approach ‘Te Whare o Te Reo Mauri Ora’ (the house of the living language). One strategy – the Maihi Māori - is led by Te Mātāwai – who represents iwi (tribes) and Māori people, and focuses on revitalisation within families, homes and communities. The other (the Maihi Karauna) is led by the Government to create the conditions for revitalisation. Our shared vision is for the Māori language to be ‘He reo Mauriora’ or ‘a living language’, with at least 1 million speakers by 2040.
What the Indigenous-led, nationally supported response to recent weather events has shown us is that cultural revitalisation is central to who and how we are. It should not be an afterthought, but rather the indigenous language is an essential element to our community, our people and our resilience.
This next decade is an opportunity to advocate for language revitalisation and to learn from other Indigenous movements who are drawing strength from their traditional language and systems of knowledge. We call on all States to take concrete actions over this decade to revitalise indigenous languages and to support indigenous peoples as they lead the way.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou – Many thanks to you all.