From our packaging to the weather, te reo Māori is becoming more prevalent in New Zealand, and now people are being encouraged to practice their speaking skills with a new challenge.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s Lyndsay Snowden told Breakfast the Mahuru Māori challenge was developed by te reo expert Paraone Gloyne in 2014 as a “social experiment to see if one could adhere to te reo Māori for the duration of the month – anywhere, to anyone, at any time”.
“It’s been a challenge since then for all to use what little they have and for more proficient ones, to speak te reo Māori for the duration of the month.”
The challenge, which follows the maramataka Māori (Māori lunar calendar), runs from August 27 to the end of September.
Snowden said part of the social experiment in speaking te reo in spaces where others may not understand and realising that “our native language is quite alien in its place of origin”.
“It’s not to belittle the others but it’s actually to grow that confidence using te reo Māori in spaces where it’s deemed foreign.”
He said they currently have around 14,000 people taking part in the challenge – just 1000 people shy of their goal of 15,000 participants.
Read original story at https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/08/31/kiwis-encouraged-to-speak-te-reo-with-mahuru-maori-challenge/
