As we reflect on this year’s theme for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, we have been thinking about our commitment to Aotearoa New Zealand, to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and to advocating for an equitable and inclusive future.
‘Ake ake ake: a forever language’ speaks to the endurance and adaptability of te reo Māori and te reo Māori speakers. ‘Ake ake ake,’ meaning ‘forever’ or ‘everlasting’, is a call of strength that resonates with our vision of a future where our communities are thriving, with diverse leaders working together for an equitable, unified and flourishing future.
Here at Global Women, we often draw on the whakataukī ‘Me aro koe ki te hā o Hineahuone,’ as we advocate for the recognition of women’s strength and dignity. We hear this call to pay heed to the breath of Hineahuone, the first wahine, as a call to pay heed to the voices of wāhine. As we work towards a future that is inclusive and accessible, we want more than a seat at the table: we want everyone to have a voice.
As an organisation committed to uplifting the women of Aotearoa New Zealand, we have an explicit commitment to uplifting wāhine Māori. This year, we held the first wāhine-led powhiri at Waitangi, and had the opportunity to hui with our members at the birthplace of our nation. We connected with incredible wāhine Māori leaders to envision a unified future for our nation, and we reaffirmed our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
It is said that language is a repository of culture, that we can better understand one another and ourselves through the values and stories embedded in language. As the first language of Aotearoa New Zealand, and the language of our founding Treaty, te reo Māori is pivotal to our collective identity as people of Aotearoa New Zealand. Our communities’ commitment to te reo Māori is a commitment to uplifting the unique identity of our beautiful nation.
Learn more about Te Wiki o te Reo Māori over at Reo Māori | Māori Language Movement.
