M?ori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples today paid tribute to Te Reo M?ori Society and Ng? Tamatoa, on the fortieth anniversary of the M?ori Language Petition being presented to Parliament.
“14 September 1972 was declared the first National M?ori Language Day, and it marks the start of the most incredible struggle for the revitalisation of te reo M?ori,” said Dr Sharples.
“In 40 years our reo has returned from a steep decline towards extinction, to the point where two generations of native speakers are using te reo M?ori in their daily lives, where public attitudes towards te reo M?ori have almost completely turned around, and the language itself has been modernised so it is fit and strong to meet the demands of contemporary lifestyles,” said Dr Sharples.
“It is an inspirational story of success, though not yet a victory. M?ori are seen as world leaders among indigenous language groups, who draw hope and strength for the future of their own languages from our achievements. As we celebrate, we must prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.
“Te Reo M?ori Society pioneered campaigns for M?ori broadcasting, bilingual education and official recognition of M?ori – all of which have come to pass. They laid the foundations on which others have built, and Aotearoa is much richer for their legacy. We have come too far not to carry on. We can best honour the pioneers by our continuing commitment to te reo M?ori
- This article originally appears at:
- http://
- Article taken from the following publication:
- Article submitted by:
