Reo Ūkaipō

Tōku reo tōku ohooho
Tōku reo tōku māpihi maurea
Tōku reo tōku whakakai marihi
My language is my inspiration, my special gift,
my precious treasure.

Nau mai, haere mai

Welcome to Te Reo Ūkaipō.

Te Reo Ūkaipō has been written by parents, for parents through the support of Mā te Reo.  

Our aim is to help parents with tamariki between the ages of 0-6 years, support the Māori language development of their kids.

Included here you will find:

The heart of the nation

Our independent stance on all manner of political and social issues marks our country out as something special. As New Zealanders, we are fiercely proud of our uniqueness. We brazenly stamp our haka on the international stage; singer/songwriters often touch on the Māori language and traditions in their craft; our iconic images bear the mark of our Māori heritage.

That's what makes us stand out. And at its heart is the Māori language - te reo Māori.

Language in the Home

For years, the significance of the Māori language was lost on many people, with some also believing that it hindered the ability of Māori people to operate well in an English-speaking country. Thankfully, we've all learned since then.

We now know there are many economic, social, political and cultural benefits in making Māori an everyday language in Aotearoa New Zealand. In most parts of the world, two or more languages are commonplace and spoken without difficulty. In a global world, speaking only one language is abnormal and is, in fact, a disadvantage. The mental agility and cultural flexibility that comes with speaking more than one language is a necessary skill in our world today.

We know, too, that being bilingual (speaking two languages), or even multilingual (three or more languages), enhances the opportunities for our children as they grow and develop. Children who speak well, and have good language skills, will learn things more easily.

Most importantly, if we want Māori language to survive it must be spoken and used by as many people as possible. As Māori speakers we have a responsibility to pass it on to our children.

As a parent, you are the first and most important language teacher your child will have. Speaking Māori in the home is the cornerstone to ensuring Māori remains a part of our everyday life.

So, let's get cracking! Check out:

Our online language programme
Learning learning tips and information 
Resources for use at home.

Ngā mihi ki a Mā te Reo, nā rātou tēnei kaupapa i tautoko.
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