Be more curious than afraid
“This year has been about navigating the surprising layers of grief for a language I never had until now, and envying anybody who grew up with it.” — Michelle Campbell.
Read More
Tag: reo immersion
Language experts don’t do their homework either — Hēmi told us
“Going to kura reo for the first time, I remember feeling completely out of my comfort zone. Driving there, parking up, stepping out of the car, going to the pōwhiri — that was really, really hard.” — Hēmi Kelly.
Read More
Clues to the story of your life
“Your language contains clues to the story of your life. You don’t sound like anyone else. Your voice is your audio signature in a world of sound. Your voice. Your reo.” — Tainui Stephens
Read More
New Zealander of the Year
“My reo journey is one of constant conflict. There are times when the reo just flows out of me, from a place that I believe lies somewhere both within and beyond myself. Then there are times I can’t even string a basic sentence together.” — Tīhema Baker.
Read More
Ēnoka Murphy: It’s all about belief
“When the specialist tells me that I have only three months, I tell him: ‘Don’t talk to me like that again. I’m not going anywhere. I just want to know the plan. Let’s talk about the plan.’” — Dr Ēnoka Murphy.
Read More
Forever learning
“When you haven’t been exposed to te ao Māori during your upbringing, you’re making up for lost time as you get older. Listening, learning, and asking questions. For us as a whānau, it’s been a journey — and we know it’s one that will never end.” — Cornell Tukiri.
Read More
Siena Yates: I finally feel the connection
“For the first time in my life, I feel whole. I feel spiritually well. I feel Māori. And not because I can have a short conversation in the reo, but because I finally feel the connection.” — Siena Yates.
Read More
Te wero nui o te Wiki o te Reo Māori
“Every time I went to any Pākehā space, my reo disappeared.” — Siena Yates, on challenging herself to speak only Māori during Māori Language Week.
Read More
If you’re listening, you’re learning
“Sometimes, it doesn’t seem to make sense. Sometimes, it’s unbearably hard and you want to quit.” — Siena Yates.
Read More
A space to breathe
“The full-time, full-immersion learning environment gives us a space where we don’t have to try so hard to be in te ao Māori.” — Siena Yates.
Read More
