Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, Māori language week, serves as an important week in Aotearoa as part of ensuring Māori culture stays alive for our future generations. Between the 14th – 21st of September is a time where we appreciate and share our Reo with our wider community. Every morning, we played videos crafted by the Senior Year 13 Tū Rangatira students, displaying key tikanga we should follow in our everyday lives. To me, Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori is a reminder of the recognition of language my ancestors went without, and fought for in their own country. Although te reo is celebrated nationwide during Māori language week, Te Reo should be celebrated every day throughout Aotearoa and should be embedded in everything we do, Toi Tū Tiriti, we must honour the treaty! Kia kaha te reo Māori!
Lauren Pember, Ngāpuhi